


A World On Fire (Mundo En Fuego)

by myshipsaresunk



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Action/Adventure, Angst and Tragedy, Drug Abuse, Eventual Romance, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Supernatural Elements
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-27
Updated: 2018-07-09
Packaged: 2018-09-02 11:39:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 50
Words: 118,561
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8666146
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/myshipsaresunk/pseuds/myshipsaresunk
Summary: Daisy has the perfect boyfriend, parents, and job offer. Her life can't get any better, but it only takes one moment for everything to crash down around her, leaving her desperately searching for vengeance. Robbie isn't a stranger to hardship and suffering, but he's struggling to balance his day job with his "night job" and keeping the devil out. When they cross paths, only he has the potential to help her get the revenge she craves. Real Life AU





	1. Flowers and Flames

Disclaimer: All rights belong to Disney, Marvel, and all the men and women that created the Agents of SHIELD TV shows, and comics. I take no credit, and I do not mean to break any copyright rules. This is simply a work of fiction made for enjoyment. No money is being made.

Rating: T dark themes and mentions of violence

Author's Note: This is a Quakerider or Daisy/Robbie real world AU. I just really love this pairing so I decided to write this. I don't know how often it will get updated, but hopefully not long between updates. I'm thinking it will be about 30k-40k words (15-20 chapters), but maybe if I'm feeling ambitious it'll go longer. Anyways, I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 1 - Flowers and Flames

A burst of laughter cuts through Daisy Johnson’s concentration and she looks up from her paperwork to see the new girl, Marina, flirting with the boy who always seems to be around. They aren’t supposed to have visitors at work, but the job is boring, so Daisy lets the infringement slide. Besides, Daisy still remembers what it feels like to be in love for the first time. 

Speaking of love…

Daisy touches the soft velvet petals of the bouquet of daisies on her desk. Her boyfriend, Lincoln, had dropped them off earlier. He’s one of those sweet guys who constantly do little acts of affection to show his love. 

How a nice guy like him ended up with a former-hacker and foster care outcast like herself is beyond her, but she doesn’t question it. All she knows is that he’s the right one for her.

Daisy smiles to herself as she turns to her computer and works on sending the next order in. The company she works for sells car repair parts. It’s not a job she would have chosen, but in order to pay for her college she has to work somewhere. And it turns out her ancient boss is clueless when it comes to technology, so who better to hire than a computer major like herself?

Although, one slight problem with this job is that she is just as clueless with car parts as her boss is with computers. Marina works at the front counter selling the items, and she’s competent enough that between the two of them and pictures from Google they can complete inventory - though not quickly or efficiently - but Daisy knows when to take advantage of an opportunity. 

And this opportunity will save her lots of time.

Daisy stands and makes her way from the office in the midst of the warehouse half of the store to the presentable half, where she and Marina organizes and restocks shelves for customers (a job they accomplish through item serial numbers that they assign themselves after receiving new shipments).

Marina is leaning over the counter to talk to the boy in the wheelchair. Daisy has talked to him a few times, and he’s always been respectful and polite. From what she’s overheard from him and Marina talking, he doesn’t seem to mind his “disability”. 

“Marina, I need your help with something.” Daisy stands next to her behind the counter, then acts as if she’s seeing the boy for the first time. “Oh, hey, Gabe.

He nods in greeting, and Daisy turns back to Marina. “I’m trying to work on inventory, but I don’t know what half of this stuff is.” She sets her clipboard on the counter and sighs. “Who even knows what spark plugs are?”

Gabe’s eyes light up, and he sits up straighter. “I can help with that,” he offers, reaching up to grab the clipboard with the list of supplies. 

“Really? Awesome!” Daisy starts making her way towards the back, but when Gabe rolls past, she slows down.

“You knew he would offer to help,” Marina accuses lightly. 

Daisy shrugs, not able to completely wipe the smirk off her face. “He comes in here to get parts for his brother’s mechanic shop every week, so he knows what all this stuff is, and he likes you so he wants to show off by helping. Plus this is a lot less work for you and I later. A win-win.”

Marina shakes her head, but she’s smiling now, too. “You’re good at getting out of things.”

“That’s the biggest thing I’ve learned from college so far.” Daisy and Marina finally catch up to Gabe, who is already a quarter down the inventory list.

“I figured I’d just finish it,” he admits. “Maybe then you guys can get out early.”

He wheels towards the row of boxes and does some quick math in his head before marking off that item and moving towards the next.

“That’s so thoughtful of you,” Daisy replies, winking at Marina. The girl blushes a little and turns away.  
“We’ll have to give you a discount next time you come in with an order.”

“Oh, that’s okay. I don’t mind helping. It’s nice to feel needed.”

Although Daisy knows he doesn’t mind being in the wheelchair, there still are societal prejudices against those with disabilities. And, of course, certain things are impossible to do without the use of legs. 

A few minutes later Gabe returns, handed Daisy back her clipboard. “Done.” He turns to Marina. “I’ll see you when you get out?”

Daisy jumps in before the girl can answer. “You kids run along. I’ll close up tonight.”

Marina’s face brightens. “Really?”

“Yeah. Go ahead.”

Daisy watches fondly as the two of them head out together. They make a great couple.

She heads back to her computer to finish sending in the order, then closes up. Tonight is a special night, and the earlier she gets out the better.

 

Robbie Reyes shrugs on his usual black leather jacket with the white rectangle on the front. The sun is starting to set, so his real work is about to begin.

He grabs the keys hanging from a knob by the door and spins them around once before clutching them tightly. The metal edges dig into his palms. 

He hates this job.

The old Dodge Charger - ‘69, to be exact - blends in with the dark sky around it. Robbie slides into the front seat and starts the engine.

He glances at the weapons sitting on the passenger seat next to him, and his hands curl into fists. He hates this, but it has to be done. He made a promise, an oath, and he won’t go back on his word.

He can’t.

And he also needs to stay alive for his remaining two family members.

He flicks his headlights on and hits the accelerator. He doesn’t have to go far tonight. This time, the gang members have journeyed into his territory.

When nears the outskirts of Los Angeles, he cuts his lights and drives cautiously through the ghettos. Graffiti art and a few muffled screams are what gives away Fifth Street Locos’ position.

Robbie stops the car a block away from the crime and gets out, grabbing a gun from the passenger seat and sliding it into his waistband. He then heads towards the gang at a brisk walk.

There are four of them here. One is holding a knife to a woman's neck, the others laughing at her anguish. 

“Let her go.” Robbie stands at the entrance to the alley. Only a dim streetlamp illuminates the scene, making it all the more eery. But Robbie isn’t the one who should be afraid.

“Ayúdame, ayúdame por favor!” the woman exclaims, momentarily breaking free from the thug’s grip. “Tengo dinero y - “

The thug shoves her down and behind him and eyes up Robbie. “Why should we?”

Robbie doesn’t answer. He starts walking towards the gang members, his hands clenching into fists with each step.

The gang members whip out knives. The first one jumps towards him, but Robbie grabs his wrists and flips, using the man’s momentum against him. The second thug throws a punch and then tries to catch Robbie with an uppercut, but Robbie lands a solid kick to his sternum.

The third thug throws his knife, but Robbie ducks. The knife ends up burying itself in the chest of the first gangster, who had just stood up again. He falls to his knees, and then to his face, unmoving.

Robbie throw a punch to the man’s face, which he successfully blocks, but then follows it up with a gut shot. The man is taken by surprise and staggers backwards.

The fourth thug sweeps Robbie’s legs out from under him, then angles his knife towards Robbie’s unexposed neck. He grabs the man’s hands and struggles to keep the knife suspended in the air.

The other gang member kicks at his side. Robbie twists his body out of the knife’s path and lets go. When the thug falls forward on his momentum Robbie grabs the back of his jacket and pulls him to the cement, bashing his head against the sidewalk.

The two remaining thugs rush him at once. Robbie can’t stop the direct punch to his face, but he grabs the arm that delivers it and twists it around the man’s body. The gang member cries out in pain, but Robbie keeps applying pressure. When the other gangster gets close he kicks him away without releasing his current victim. 

The arm snaps with a sickening sound and Robbie releases his arm only to grab the back of his head and crush it against his knee. The man falls limply to the ground to join his other two friends.

The last thug turns to run, but Robbie pulls out his gun and fires one shot. The bullet strikes the man right in the back and he collapses mid stride.

The woman stands shakily and rushes over to Robbie, grabbing his hand. “¡Muchas gracias, señor! Tú eres un verdadero ángel.”

Robbie shakes his head. “No,” he replies, pulling his hand back. “Not an angel. Soy el otro.”

The woman frowns. “¿El otro?”

“I am the devil. El diablo.”

The woman stares at him for a long moment. “No comprendo. Tú eres un buen samaritano. Tú me ayudaste. No puedes ser el diablo.”

Robbie stares at her with pity. She believes that because he helped her he can’t be the devil. She called him a good samaritan.

But he knows the truth. Good samaritans aren’t always as good as they seem. “La vida es...muy complicada. Ahora, ¡sal!”

She gives him an almost scared look before grabbing her purse and leaving. He hears her heels click as she picks up her pace and runs.

When she’s far enough away, Robbie drags the bodies into a big pile. He takes a half empty bottle of alcohol one of the thugs had and dumps the contents over the bodies.

One of the men stirs sluggishly. Robbie pays him no attention as he takes a match from his pocket, strikes it, and tosses it onto the pile. It erupts into flame, catalyzed by the alcohol.

Robbie turns his back and walks away, the fire lighting up the alley. The man who had been moving slowly started screaming, but Robbie ignored his pleas for help.

His fingers clench into fists again, but this time it’s not for fighting. This time it’s out of frustration.

He hates his job. He hates hearing the screams of pain and the snap of bones and the crack of a gunshot or the crackle of the flames.

But he swore an oath. He swore that he would get vengeance. 

The fine print was that none could be left alive.


	2. Dates and Disputes

Author's Note: Sorry for the confusion! I accidentally posted chapter 3 instead of chapter 2. This is the real chapter 2. 

Chapter 2 - Dates and Disputes

Daisy braids her long hair back and examines herself in the mirror. A hot pink dress that ends above her knees and hugs her body brings out her tan skin and dark hair, and a glittering diamond necklace around her neck brings attention to her sleek collarbones. Natural but stunning eyeshadow and a nude lipstick highlight her beauty. A pair of nude heels finish off her outfit nicely and boost her up a couple inches.

She loves looking pretty for Lincoln. He always looks at her like she’s the most gorgeous woman in the world, but there’s just something fun about playing it up. Now she, too, feels like the prettiest girl in the world.

She heads downstairs, where her parents are also dressed up and prepping for their dinner tonight. They’ve met Lincoln several times before - in fact, Daisy had met Lincoln through her mom - but Lincoln wanted them to come to dinner as a family. Daisy thinks it’s sweet that he cares about her parents as much as he cares about her. It’s a good quality.

Her mom, Jiayang, is wearing a long-sleeved black dress with gold accents. She smiles at Daisy, and the smile is contagious. 

“You look so beautiful,” Jiayang says, tracing her cheek with a finger.

“Who do you think I got it from?” Daisy replies, smiling brightly.

“Obviously me,” her father, Cal, cuts in. He’s dressed in a black suit with a white shirt. He looks at them both and grins. “My two beautiful ladies.”

“And your two hungry ladies,” Daisy teasingly says, pulling on each of their arms. “We’re going to be late. Lincoln is already waiting for us there.”

When they arrive at the restaurant, the hostess shows them towards their reserved table. Daisy catches her breath when she sees Lincoln.

Most of the time she sees him he’s wearing his work scrubs or jeans and a plaid shirt - which look just fine one him - but now he stuns in a sharp suit. His green eyes crinkle and brighten when he sees her, and she falls in love with him all over again.

He stands up and walks towards her, a look of amazement on his face. She smiles at him, and when he slowly and tenderly takes her hands in his, she can’t help but laugh a little. 

“You can say something, Lincoln.”

He looks up at her and the corner of his mouth curves up. “Not when you are indescribable. All the words in the dictionary and none can come even close to what you are.”

Her heart soars, even if it is cheesy. But that’s who Lincoln is - a genius doctor, a great friend, and a cheesy but undeniably sweet lover.

“I love you, too, you big dork.”

Jiayang hugs Lincoln and Cal shakes his hand fondly before they sit down. Daisy grabs Lincoln’s hand under the table.

“How’s your work been going, Lincoln?” Jiayang asks. Daisy smiles a little; if it hadn’t been for her mother, she may have never met him. Her mother is a physical therapist, and when Lincoln had been going through med school he had done a short internship under her.

Daisy can’t imagine how her life would be if she had never met him. 

“A lot of excitement going on, actually.” Lincoln leans forward, and his voice softens. “One of my patients is a witness to that huge underground smuggling ring the police have been investigating lately. He got shot, but he’s recovering quickly, and once he is able to talk again, they’ll be able to catch the criminals.”

“That’s got to be exciting,” Cal exclaims. “Who knew doctors had so much insider info.”

“You’d be surprised at how much I overhear.” Lincoln shakes his head. “I don’t want to hear half of it.”

Daisy notices that Jiayang has gone silent and that a slight grimace is on her face. “Mom? Are you okay?”

Jiayang jumps a little, then shakes her head and smiles. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just worried.”

“About what?”

“It might dangerous if the criminals know that there’s a guy in the hospital that has all their secrets. I’m just worried about Lincoln.”

Lincoln shrugs. “I’ll be fine. There are two armed guards outside the man’s room at all times.”

“Lincoln can take care of himself,” Daisy replies, resting an arm on his shoulder. The waiter comes by and takes their orders, and Jiayang excuses herself to the restroom for a minute.

“How’s your work going?” Lincoln asks Daisy. 

“Just the usual. Marina and her almost-boyfriend are always talking at the front counter, so I put the boy to use. He knows a lot more about mechanical parts then I ever will.”

“And what about college?”

Daisy perks up. “It’s going great. I graduate in a few months, you know, and my professor has been talking to a guy for me for the past few weeks. I talked to the other people in my class, and he’s not doing that for anyone else.”

The waiter returns with wine selections and their meals, and Jiayang is right behind them. They eat and conversate lightly. Cal talks about his work at the science lab, and Jiayang mentions that some of her patients are almost fully recovered. 

Now that Daisy thinks about it, her mom’s work has been doing really well lately. Lots of patients have recovered, and her mom has been getting amazing bonuses. It’s weird, especially for her line of work.

Daisy shrugs away her thoughts and focuses on the present. Her parents are grabbing their stuff and going...where? Daisy had just missed all of that.

“We’re given you kids some space,” Cal says with a smile, and Daisy internally thanks him for catching her up.

“Have a good evening,” Jiayang adds, resting her hand on Lincoln’s shoulder briefly before following her husband out the door.

Lincoln turns to Daisy. “I thought we could maybe go for a walk. It’s a really nice night out, and the city is beautiful.”

Daisy finds herself unable to keep her smile away. “I would love that.”

It’s chilly outside, so Lincoln puts his suit jacket around her shoulders and she walks pressed against his side, her arm threaded through his. They don’t have to talk; Lincoln was right when he said the city is beautiful.

Lincoln suddenly stops in front of a brick wall covered in graffiti.

“What’s wrong, babe?” Daisy asks, looking up at him. He simply shakes his head.

“See that car in the middle? The black dodge with the flames engulfing it?” 

Sure enough, there’s a car seemingly driving out of flames right in the middle of all the other spray-painted masterpieces. Behind the windshield in the driver’s seat, a skeleton wearing a black leather jacket is grinning maniacally.

“What about it?”

Lincoln shakes his head again. “I just keep seeing that image or ones like it all around. Must be an urban legend of the area.”

“If the guy is on fire he might need a doctor,” Daisy teases. “That could be you.”

Lincoln smiles and continues walking.  
* * *

 

Robbie stops in front of the bathroom mirror and touches the already-fading bruise on his cheekbone from the entanglement. Hopefully his brother won’t notice. Robbie hates lying to him, but he can’t tell him the truth.

Some secrets are necessary to keep.

Robbie turns the sink on and uses a liberal amount of soup in order to get the blood and other grime off his hands. As he turns the sink off and reaches for a towel, the telltale sound of wheels on a wood surface reach his ears. He internally sighs as the door opens and his brother stares at him, arms crossed.

“What are you doing awake?” Gabe demands. “It’s two in the morning.”

“So why are you up?” Robbie asks, pushing out of the bathroom and past his brother’s wheelchair. “You need to sleep so your brain has time to sort through all the information you cram in it.”

“That’s not exactly how it works,” Gabe grumbles as he wheels after his brother. “Which you would know if you had actually graduated from high school.”

“I don’t need to know things like that to change a car’s engine, now do I?” Robbie heads towards his room. “And I seem to be doing just fine with my life. School isn’t for everyone.”

“What were you doing outside?” Gabe presses. 

“I heard a noise from the garage and I went to go check it out. It turned out to be nothing. Now go back to bed.”

“Why did you have to wash your hands then?”

It’s Robbie who insists that Gabe studies and continues going to school, in this is how Gabe repays him? By using his smarts to interrogate him? “I grabbed a wrench in case it was a thief and it got grease on my hands. Now go to bed.”

“You’re wearing jeans, and unless you sleep in jeans - which you don’t - it means you were - ”

Robbie closes his door. Gabe raises his voice, but Robbie ignores him.

“You keep hide this forever!” 

Robbie finally opens his door again. “Just like you can’t hide that you spend way more time at the parts shop because you like the girl who works at the counter?”

Gabe tries to play it off, but Robbie can see his face turn red. “I mean, I helped her do inventory, but that’s because she’s hopeless when it comes to parts and - ”

“So if you were just helping her out why did you lie and say you were doing homework?”

Gabe doesn’t have an answer this time. 

“Thought so.”

“Fine. Now you know. So why don’t you tell me about what you do at night?”

“If you’re so clever, why don’t you figure it out yourself?” Robbie knows Gabe can’t leave the house by himself. The closest public transportation that runs at night is a mile away, which is way too far for him to wheel himself, and Robbie would notice if he tried to sneak into the car.

Gabe will just have to content himself with not knowing one thing. 

“That’s not fair. I’m your brother. You’re supposed to tell me everything.”

“And sometimes I’m supposed to not tell you things to protect you. Now go to bed. I’m serious.”

“I’m not a little boy anymore, Robbie. I’m almost an adult. You can’t keep treating me like a child!”

Why does he have to complicate things? “Lo sé. But right now you are acting like a child.”

“And you are acting like an overprotective parent,” Gabe mumbles. Robbie lets the comment slide. He doesn’t want to talk about parents.

“I am your legal guardian, hermano. Get used to it.”

Gabe finally gives up and heads back to bed. Robbie sits heavily down in one of the chairs by the kitchen table and shrugs his jacket off. He hates when he and Gabe fight. It’s the just the two of now - well, they have an uncle, but he’s stuck in prison so he doesn’t really count - and when they fight it always saps the energy from Robbie.

He hates that it’s his fault that they fight. If only he could confess to Gabe about what he does, about the oath he took…

No. Robbie can already see the horrified look on Gabe’s face in his mind. Gabe can never know. Some truths are just too damning.  
And Robbie knows he’s Gabe’s hero. That boy looks up to him so much. Robbie can’t destroy the last person Gabe looks up to, even if that person is only an act.

Because Robbie knows he’s not a good person, and he’s accepted that. But he’s not dragging Gabe or anyone else down with him.

That’s his second oath.


	3. Decisions and Disputes

hapter 3 - Decisions and Discord

Daisy gathers up her study materials after a long lecture. Everyone else is already out the door by the time she gets her bag closed and slung over her shoulder. As she heads towards the door, her professor stops her.

“Miss Johnson?”

Daisy turns to face him. “Yes?”

“Remember that job I was looking into for you?” Daisy nods. “I have someone you’ll want to meet.”

She follows her professor down the hall and to the office room. A man in his forties with dark brown hair and a meticulously ironed suit with a blue tie is sitting in a chair, reading off a tablet computer in his hands.

“Mr. Coulson? This is the student I was discussing with you.”

The man looks up and glances over her. “Wonderful.” He sets his computer down and stands. “I’m Agent Coulson. You are Daisy Johnson?”

Daisy nods and shakes his hand. “I am, sir. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Her heart races a little; the title “agent” sounds exciting. What is this job that she’s getting into?

“Before we discuss specifics of the job, I’m going to need you to sign this.” Coulson hands her a paper. “Confidentiality. My organization works in the shadows.”

Daisy signs it quickly. “What exactly is your organization?”

She hears the door shut as her professor leaves the room. Coulson smiles humorlessly. “We’re called SHIELD. Kind of like the FBI, but cooler.”

“Cooler? I didn’t know such a thing existed. At least I haven’t seen any TV shows with “SHIELD” featured on it.”

“Exactly. We work behind the scenes of incidents that happen worldwide that are too dangerous for the public to know about.”

“Too dangerous for the public to know?” This job sounds dangerous yet illuminating. How many things will Daisy learn by working at SHIELD that she would never know otherwise? “Like...the truth about Area 51 kind of things?”

Coulson smiles again. “Area 51 is nothing compared to some of the other things I’ve encountered. And most of the world doesn’t even know we exist. Like I said, we work in the shadows. If you choose to work for SHIELD, you’ll see the world in an entirely different light. But you have to be discrete about it. You can’t even tell your significant other or your parents about the things you’ll see and hear. It’s not for everyone.”

So if she gets this great job she’ll learn the truth about the world but she can’t repeat any of it to her parents or to Lincoln? Daisy can keep it from her parents with little trouble, but she and Lincoln are completely open with each other. This job would put a barrier between them. It could affect their relationship.

But even Lincoln can’t tell her everything, she thinks. There is some doctor-patient confidentiality in his work. This would be no different. And if they truly love each other - which they do - they can work through it. He’ll understand.

“I can work with that,” she says. “But what exactly do you want me to do?”

“Think Penelope Garcia from Criminal Minds. We have an opening on our team for a computer hacker and programmer. You’re at the top of your class here when it comes to working with computers, and from what I’ve seen on your criminal record, you have quite the experience with hacking.”

Daisy winces at the mention of her record. “I was still in high school at the time, sir. I’ve changed.”

Coulson frowns. “I hope not. We need someone who can hack into anything. This isn’t just an office job, Miss Johnson. The safety and security of the world is often reliant on us.”

Wow. This really is a serious job. Daisy would be a fool not to take it. And it’s exactly what she would love to do - computer hacking and programming with a pinch of danger thrown in. Her life certainly wouldn’t be boring. And extremely high stakes exist, to boot. She does work best under pressure.

“I’m the one for the job,” she says. “But - I do have one question, if you don’t mind.”

“Fire away.”

“Actually two. For one, can I get that...incident off my record? This is a government organization, right?”

Coulson nods. “We are. I’m sure I can pull some strings. Anything else?”

“Yeah. What’s the pay like?”

“I told you the security of the world is on our shoulders. Safety is something people will pay a very pretty penny for. You shouldn’t be lacking in money if you take this job.”

“So where do I apply?”

Coulson shakes his head. “The job is yours. But I do have a question for you. Have you taken any self-defense classes?”

Daisy frowns at the odd request. “Um...I took a twelve week course at the local dojang last semester, but that’s about it. How dangerous is this job?”

“Depends. Our last computer genius...well, that’s a story for another day. Can you report to the empty Admiral gas station at the corner of Ninth and Cedar in a week at ten AM?”

“Yeah.” Daisy can’t help the rush of excitement coursing through her body right now. She’s about to start the coolest job ever, and it comes with awesome pay - both rare but beautiful things.

“Great. Then that’s your first day. But don’t be late - May hates it when the new recruits aren’t punctual. You’ll get a long lecture on the value of time.”

Coulson picks up his computer and papers and heads out. Daisy pulls out her phone and shoots a text to Lincoln - Just got an amazing job offer. I’m coming to tell you about it in person. See you in thirty.

But before she visits Lincoln, she has a different job to quit.  
* * *

Robbie opens up the shop at 8 am, just like every other day. And, just like every other day, a car is sitting in the garage, waiting to be fixed.

Manuel is the first guy to show up for work. “Hóla, Robbie.” 

“Qué pasa?”

“Nada.”

Manuel puts on a greasy apron and fills the pockets with various wrenches and screwdrivers.

Next is Nacho. “Eres tarde,” Robbie lightly accuses. 

Nacho laughs. “When am I not?” he replies, then follows Manuel.

The third and final member of the crew is Francisco. After they exchange greetings and set up their supplies, they get to work on the car that had been brought in yesterday.

As they work, Francisco entertains them all with a story. “So there’s this gang in town, right? Fifth Street Locos? You heard about them?”

The others nod, and Robbie stiffens up at the name, but he manages to hide his adverse reaction to the name. He does, however, make a note to himself to listen for any details about their whereabouts Francisco might have. Looks like he’s going out again tonight.

“Well, they’re not really that bad. All talk, little action. They do mostly petty crimes, like stealing. Well, mi mamá, she lives in a sketchy part of L.A., and a couple of the gang members bust into her house. She calls me, ella dice, ‘there are robbers in mi casa, hijo. ¿Qué hago?’ So I tell her to call the police, right? But that woman...que mujer es muy loca. She’s nuts! She does not listen to me para nada.”

“¿Qué hice a tu madre?” Manuel asks. /What did your mother do?/

“She took it upon herself to beat up those gang members - ¡con una escoba!”

“With a broom?” Nacho shakes his head and laughs. “That woman is loca.”

“¿Entonces qué paso?” Manuel sets down his wrench. /What happened then?/

“She scared them away!” Francisco wipes at his forehead, leaving a smear of grease. “That woman is so terrifying she scared away two armed robbers with a broom.”

Robbie pats the man on the shoulder as he passes him to get a crowbar. “Lo siento, hombre. Childhood must have been difficult, if she’s that scary.”

“Sí, sí.”

When Robbie returns, Nacho lowers his voice. “Speaking of gangs…”

“¿Qué es?”

“There’s a new gang in town. Called ‘El Segundo Cielo’. The Second Heaven. Have you heard about them?”

Robbie frowns. He has not heard about them yet. They must be either really new or very discrete. “What do you know about them, Nacho?”

“That’s the thing: they invited into their ranks.” Nacho grins. “They’re not bad, like Fifth Street Locos. Segundo Cielo deals in smuggling. And they are not actually new. They have been in L.A. for five months now.”

“How come no one has heard of them yet?” Francisco asks. “Five months is a long time for a gang.”

“They are very selective about who let in.”

“How did you get in, then?” Manuel teases in Spanish. He slaps Nacho’s arm in a friendly manner.

“I have connections. But so do they. Segundo Cielo has all sorts of people involved. Even high ranking government officials in the area.”

Robbie takes a deep breath in and exhales. He wishes Nacho would just stop talking. He had made a promise to get rid of all criminals, but he doesn’t want to hurt his friend. Maybe if the other man stops talking Robbie can just forget about all of this…

“I’ve been making tons of money helping out with smuggling operations.” He turns to Francisco. “You asked how I was able to afford that new car last week? Because of all the money I’ve made from the gang.”

“Does the police know about Segundo Cielo?” Robbie asks. Maybe if the police arrest the gang members, including Nacho, Robbie won’t have to hurt him. 

Nacho scowls. “The police had someone undercover in our ranks. We caught him before he could escape, but the person in charge of silencing him were lazy and didn’t finish the job. He’s in the hospital, but he could wake at any second and rat us all out. We’re sending some guys over to take care of it today.”

Robbie grips the crowbar in his hand tightly. The skin over his knuckles is stretched to a white color. He can’t resist the urge building up in him. He wants to, but it’s more powerful than he is.

“Hey, you okay, hombre?” Francisco asks quietly, sensing Robbie’s tension.

“Yeah. I just - I just need a break. Some fresh air.”

Francisco frowns. “Ya estamos afuera, Robbie.” /We’re already outside./

Robbie doesn’t answer. He slowly sets down the crowbar and turns, heading down the street. He hears the others asking about him, but he trusts Francisco to cover for him.

The farther he walks from the guys the harder it is to keep pushing forward. He feels like he’s breaking his oath with each step.

“If you let me live, I will get vengeance for my brother and myself and everyone else in this city who has been wronged by gangs. I will not rest until they are exterminated, and I will kill them all, no matter what the personal cost.”

That is the promise he made. In hindsight, a regretful promise, but at the time, it had seemed the only way.

First Robbie’s parents had died, and then their uncle had been working nonstop, and then the accident - 

In the situation he’d been in, an oath to the devil had seemed only logical. Caught up in a storm of anger and pain and grief and desperateness, the words had just formed themselves. And in the beginning, following that promise had helped. With each gang member killed, Robbie had felt free. It didn’t matter that the devil now lived inside of him, waking him each night and driving him to take vengeance.

After the passion disappeared and the reality of what he was doing set in, Robbie realized he had only trapped himself. He isn’t free; he’s just in a different cage. And unlike the prison of emotions, time won’t free him from under the devil’s grasp.

Robbie knew he’d pay the price for selling out his soul one day. He just didn’t know it would come so soon.


	4. Grief and Grim

Chapter 4 - Grief and Grim

 

Daisy walks through the hospital, following the friendly nurse who works with Lincoln. Although she’s very sweet, she’s also pretty talkative - and this is coming from Daisy herself.

 “We have all our burn patients in this unit over here. It’s full right now, because there was an awful fire at the Gregory’s Groceries down the street. It was a gang hit-and-run bombing, I’ve heard. Awful stuff. There just seems to be more and more gangs everyday. Why some people have a desire to hurt others is completely beyond my reckoning.”

 Daisy nods absently, not really paying attention. She’s too busy scanning all the faces for Lincoln. She knows he’s probably on the top floor, with his high priority patient that he mentioned at dinner last night, but it would still be nice to see him sooner.

 “So how did you and Lincoln meet? He’s never told us that story, although he talks about you all the time.” The nurse smiles at Daisy. “He really loves you.”

 “Uh, well, it’s not actually that exciting of a story. My mother is a physical therapist and he did a short internship with her. One day when I came in to drop some stuff off for her he was there, and we talked for a bit before exchanging numbers. After that we just hit it off, I guess.”

“Guess you never had to worry about getting him parent-approved, then.” The nurse smiles and points her towards a hallway. “Head straight and Dr. Campbell should be in the last room on the left.”

 Daisy thanks her and heads towards the room, excitement and dread both filling her. She wants to tell him everything about her new job, but she knows she can only tell him vague things. It’s a small price to pay for such an amazing job, but a price nonetheless.

Banishing negative thoughts from her mind, she steps into the room. Lincoln has a clipboard in his hand and is asking the patient on the bed some questions. Daisy hangs in the doorway, enjoying the chance to watch him work. After a minute Lincoln sets down the clipboard and says something that makes the patient laugh, and then he heads out.

 When he sees Daisy he seems surprised. “What are you doing here?”

 “Didn’t you get my text?” Lincoln shakes his head. “Well, I got an incredible job offer today.”

 “Incredible as in ‘dream job’ or incredible as in ‘amazing pay’?”

 Daisy grins. “Incredible as in both.”

 "That’s great, but what job is it? You don’t find jobs like that just anywhere.” Lincoln starts down the hall and Daisy follows.

 “Unfortunately, the specifics are confidential. But I’ll be doing things like computer programming and hacking.”

 Lincoln suddenly stops and faces her. “It’s not dangerous, is it?”

 Daisy’s smile falls. She had only thought of the risk to herself, not to her boyfriend or parents. “Some, but -”

 “Daisy, I see dozens of patients every single day. I don’t want to see you among them one day.”

 “Lincoln, you have to trust me on this. It’s everything I ever wanted. And the real world isn’t any safer. I can’t prevent accidents from happening. If I’m going to get hurt, I have just as big of a chance by simply living.”

 Lincoln frowns but he keeps walking. “I trust you. I’m not pleased, but if this is what you want to do, then I’m not going to stop you.”

 “That’s all I’m asking. And if it gets too dangerous, I’ll quit immediately. I promise.”

 “I’m just glad being a doctor is perfectly safe.” Lincoln shakes his head as he walks. “Oh, and by the way, if anyone asks, I’m taking you to see a patient.”

 “What, you’re breaking the rules by having me here?” Daisy teases.

“Probably.”

 “Which patient are we seeing?”

 “My priority patient. The one who has all the information on that smuggling gang.”

 Daisy rolls her eyes. “I’m glad that out of all the patients in the hospital, that’s the one I’m ‘visiting’.”

 Lincoln shrugs. “If you had been here ten minutes later then you could have caught me on my break.”

 He walks past two policemen who are guarding and door, and they smile and nod at him as he passes. Daisy keeps her head down and follows Lincoln in.

 The room has only one patient, a Latino man lying on a hospital bed. A machine beeps his vitals and an IV bag sways slightly. There are windows on the outer wall bringing light in. It’s all kind of peaceful, in a way.

 “How long has he been here?” she asks after a moment of silence.

 “Three days.” Lincoln checks the man’s stats on the machine and scribbles something down on his clipboard. “He should wake up anytime now.”

 “Will he have to go into witness protection after he testifies against the smugglers?”

 “Most likely. Though, from the absence of visitors, I think a new life would be the best bet for him.”

 Daisy stares down at the man sadly. “I just can’t imagine being so alone in the world that no one would come visit me if I was hospitalized. It seems like such a dismal life.”

 There’s a noise from outside in the hallway that cuts through the silence. Daisy and Lincoln make eye contact. Another sound comes, this time a thud against the door.

 Lincoln reaches into his pocket and pulls out a scalpel. He takes the protective sheath over the blade off. “Daisy, get behind me.”

 She covers the empty space between them in one stride. “What is it?”

 “The other gang members have come to finish the job before he can testify.” Lincoln grabs her hand with his free one and squeezes tightly. “Hopefully the police guards will get them.”

 There the crack of a loud gunshot. Daisy looks up at Lincoln. “I love you,” she says, her heart racing.

 Lincoln looks down at her and smiles. “I love you, too.”

 The door slams open and two guys dressed as doctors burst in. Both have guns in their hands. One heads immediately to the sleeping patient. The other one points his gun at Lincoln.

 “Drop the weapon,” he orders.

 “Drop your gun,” Lincoln calmly responds. Daisy is paralyzed by fear and panic, and her eyes dart between the two gunmen.

 “We just have some business to take care of. You don’t have to get hurt.”

 “Just drop it, Lincoln,” Daisy whispers. She clutches his hand harder. “Do what he says!”

 “You’re about to kill one of my patients. I can’t allow that.” Lincoln steps forward, and Daisy’s can’t hear herself think over the frantic beating of her heart. Why can’t he just surrender?

 “Too late.” The first guy empties all his rounds on the patient lying in the bed. He doesn’t even wake up. Daisy jumps at each shot.

 Lincoln looks at the patient, grief on his features. He drops the scalpel and puts his hands up. “Okay, okay.”

 Relief floods over Daisy. They lost the patient, but she hasn’t lost him. Suddenly she can breathe again.

 The second gunman continues to stare Lincoln down. “You shouldn’t have said anything in the first place,” he says.

 It all happens to fast, and yet it seems like time slows down. There’s an infinity between when his fingers tense and when the trigger is pulled, and yet it’s instantaneous. There’s another infinity between the sound of the gunshot and when Lincoln staggers back, and yet it happens so fast.

 “Lincoln!” Daisy catches his as he falls and slows his descent, lowering him on the ground. “Lincoln, stay with me. Don’t leave me.”

 The light in his eyes is already fading. It had been a clean shot straight to the heart. A thousand emotions hit Daisy all at once, the most prevalent of them anger.

Her hands shake as she reaches up to close his eyes. Her whole body is shaking with the need to do something. A glimmer catches her eye, and she sees the scalpel on the floor from where Lincoln had dropped it.

 She reaches over and picks it up, brandishing it in her right hand. The gunmen are already in the hallway, their backs to her. She sneaks up on them, her feet silent but her heart pounding - this time in adrenaline, not fear.

 She knows the man on the right had used up all his bullets on the patient, so she aims for the gang member on the left. She lifts her arm back and slams the scalpel, with all the strength she has, into the back of his neck.

 It slides in, and he howls as he goes down. She doesn’t have a chance to do anything more before the second gang member whirls and cracks her across the face with his gun. Daisy hits the floor hard.

 She isn’t hit again, though. There’s the sound of sirens and footsteps and shouting, but all she see in her mind’s eye is that fateful second, replayed over and over again.

 A stinging tear drops from her eye and everything goes black.

 

Gabe is home early from school. Robbie is still working with the guys on an engine when the bus drops him off and he wheels up.

 Robbie wipes his hands off and heads over to his younger brother. “What’s up?”

 “Didn’t you hear?” Gabe gives him a look.

 “Hear what?”

 “There was a shooting at the hospital.”

 “A shooting?”

 “Yeah. Apparently there was a witness to some crime there who hadn’t woken up yet. Some guys with guns went in and finished him off before he could talk. It wasn’t far from our school so we got out early in case they had any other shootings planned.”

 Robbie remember’s Nacho’s talk about Segundo Cielo this morning and his heart sinks. So they really had went in and finished the job. “How many died?”

 “Just the witness and a doctor.”

 “A doctor?” This is bad. The devil inside Robbie is straining for him to go and force information out of Nacho, but Robbie manages to bury the urge down. It’s always easier to control it when Gabe is around.

 “Yeah. And I heard rumors that there was a girl, too. She wasn’t shot, but she was injured somehow.”

 Robbie wants to rush after this gang right now. “Were the shooters caught?”

 Gabe nods. “One of them was injured, too.”

 The mechanic inhales and exhales deeply. “Okay. I’m glad you’re okay.”

 “It’s actually kinda cool. Not the shooting, I mean, but getting out of school early. I have extra time to study for my tests tomorrow.”

 Robbie pats Gabe on the shoulder. “Good. I expect you to get good grades on all of them.”

 Gabe rolls his eyes and wheels up the ramp to their apartment above the shop. Robbie heads back over to the guys.

 “We’re going to close up early today,” he tells them.

 >“Everything okay?” Francisco asks.

 “Yeah. Everything’s great.”

 Robbie sticks his hand in the pocket of his jacket and feels the key to his dodge bite into his skin. He’s going to avoid taking on Segundo Cielo as long as he can, but that doesn’t mean he’s going to take a night off.

 There are plenty of other gangs in the area, and they’re going to feel the devil’s wrath tonight.

 A doctor, Robbie thinks, shaking his head. It just makes him angrier. Those doctors patch up everybody - children, parents, gang members, and police officers alike. They don’t discriminate against who they help. They just see a patient. And even they aren’t safe in the city anymore.

 Robbie adds another person he’s going to avenge on his list.


	5. Truths and Trips

Disclaimer: All rights belong to Disney, Marvel, and all the men and women that created the Agents of SHIELD TV shows, and comics. I take no credit, and I do not mean to break any copyright rules. This is simply a work of fiction made for enjoyment. No money is being made.

Rating: T for dark themes, graphic violence, mentions of torture, drug abuse, supernatural violence, major character death, and minor language

Author's Note: Daisy and Robbie will meet next chapter, I promise!

Chapter 5 - Truths and Trips

 

Daisy is dismissed from the hospital the next day. A big purple bruise across her cheekbone only scratches the surface of her pain.

 Her parents come to pick her up. Both of them hug her, but it feels wrong. It should be a different pair of arms wrapping her up tightly, a different hand stroking her cheek and telling her it will all be okay, a different pair of lips kissing her forehead.

 So this is what death feels like. An infinite nothingness.

 She has no energy to talk, so the ride home is silent. In fact, Daisy has no energy or motivation to do anything. What’s the point? Crying won’t bring him back. He can’t hear her screaming. Talking won’t make the pain go away or lessen.

 But even as she watches the world blur by from the window, a spark of anger fills her.

 It’s not much, and it won’t amount to anything. Sparks don’t start flames unless they get fanned, and nothing is going to foster that flame.

 At her parents’ house, she stays in her old bedroom. It’s small and the walls are still painted pink from when she was twelve, but she doesn’t care. This is only temporary. She’s heard enough stories from people who went through similar ordeals to know that the pain will soon fade to an ache and she’ll be able to move on with life.

 They’ll say that she’s young, and that she’ll move on and find someone else and realize that everything happens for a reason.

 Daisy really wants to know what this reason is. Maybe if it’s good enough it will make her feel better about the whole situation.

 But she doubts that.

 After staring at the wall for three hours, Daisy decides she does care that the walls are painted pink. She also cares that her clothes are brightly colored and floral. She cares that her hair is long and that she hasn’t changed the style since the room had been painted.

 Everything reminds her of him. He liked when she wore pink and yellow, and he liked her long hair. He liked her floral perfume and he liked her brightly colored high heels. He liked when she wore little or light make-up. 

 Daisy gets off the bed and heads downstairs. Her father is on the sofa in the living room, staring at his phone. Her mother is in the kitchen preparing dinner. When she passes, they look up with sympathetic looks.

 It’s too much.

 “That guy really got you, didn’t he?” Jiayang asks, touching the bruise on her cheek lightly. “I still can’t believe you stabbed him. That isn’t like you at all.”

 “What do you mean?” Daisy asks sharply. “What am I like?”

 Her mother frowns. “You’re just not...violent. You’re our sweet little Daisy, delicate and beautiful.”

 Delicate? That explains why she fell apart so quickly. Daisy doesn’t want to be delicate. She doesn’t want to look like someone who is taken advantage of easily. She doesn’t want to appear as if the hardships of reality haven’t touched her.

 Delicate? Is that why Lincoln had frowned upon her taking a job that could be potentially dangerous? Did he think she wasn’t able to take care of herself? Do her parents think that she can’t handle dealing with loss? Do they think one little smack to the face with a gun was enough to put her out of action?

 Daisy doesn’t want to be thought of as delicate.

 “I’m going to the store. I’ll be back in an hour.”

 Jiayang grabs her arm. “We don’t need anything, Daisy.”

 “I do.” She stares her mother down until she releases her and steps away. 

 When Daisy returns she’s decked out in black jeans, a black leather jacket with a grey hood, and black combat boots. Her hair is cut to about mid-neck, and she has bangs that sweep across her forehead. A bag of dark make-up is in her hands.

 Cal looks and her and smiles tightly, not entirely accepting but not discouraging, either. If there’s one thing she appreciates about her father more than anything else, it’s that he understands that people sometimes need to follow their own paths in life.

 Jiayang, on the other hand, is not-so-pleasantly shocked. She touches the end of Daisy’s short hair and shakes her head. “You had such beautiful hair!”

 “And she still does,” Cal reminds her gently. 

 “I needed a change.” Daisy sits down on a chair in the kitchen. 

 “You look like a...punk,” Jiayang finally says, shaking her head. “People will get a bad first impression.”

“That’s their problem, not mine.” Daisy doesn’t feel like dealing with this right now. She’s happy about her choice, and no one else has to agree with it. This is her life, not theirs.

“It might be hard to get a job looking like that. No one will trust you.”

 “Then it’s a good thing I already have a high paying job, starting next week.” Daisy folds her hands in her lap, mentally debating on whether she should go to her apartment. It’s close to her college, but far from the midst of L.A. where all her work is. She’s not sure she wants to drive that far alone.

 “You could always be a physical therapist, like me.” Jiayang smiles. “Like mother, like daughter, right? And I do get great bonuses.”

 Jiayang’s cell phone on the table buzzes. Daisy grabs it. “Here, I’ll answer it for you since your hands are wet.”

 Jiayang’s eyes widen. “No - ”

 “Your help in silencing the witness was invaluable. We would have never known where to find him if you hadn’t told us. We’re sending you a bonus right now. The boss will call you for the next assignment when it comes up.”

 The caller hangs up and Daisy looks at her mom in shock and confusion. “Mom?”

 “I don’t what that was,” Jiayang claims, but Daisy isn’t stupid.

“So that’s where you get all your bonuses from,” she accuses. “You’ve been helping out that gang!”

 Cal looks at Jiayang with wide eyes. “How could you?”

 “Oh, don’t tell me you don’t enjoy the extra money. I’m trying to help our family out.”

 “You knew the witness was there because Lincoln told us at dinner last night!” Daisy accuses. “You knew there was a risk Lincoln could get hurt, and you still told them! I can’t believe you would do this to him - to me!”

 “What were the chances that he’d be in the same room at the time of the attack? I never meant for Lincoln to get hurt. And I had no idea you were at the hospital!”

 “And yet you were still completely fine with relaying that information.” Daisy shakes her head. “I can’t believe you.”

 Cal’s forehead creases. “Bad people do things like that, Jiayang. Not good people. Not a person like you.”

 Jiayang looks between the two of them desperately. “You can’t tell on me, though. What happened happened, and while it’s regretful, it’ll only get worse if you report it.” She turns to Daisy. “You’ve already lost Lincoln, can you bear losing me, too?”

 That spark of anger in Daisy bursts into flame. “I am not delicate like you think I am!” she shouts. “And if you’re the one responsible for hurting Lincoln, then I hope I lose you.”

 Cal looks at his wife sadly. “I’m sorry, honey. But we have to turn you in. Maybe you’ve lost your way, but Daisy and I haven’t. We can’t tolerate this.”

 Jiayang reaches into her waistband. “I didn’t want it to come to this.” She pulls out a gun and points it at Daisy. “Cal, go get the emergency cash stashed under our bed and my purse. I’m leaving. Then you can go tell the police all you want, but you can’t stop me. You can’t stop us. Segundo Cielo will bring this city back up to its former glory.”

 Cal doesn’t move. Jiayang motions to the gun. “I will shoot.”

Daisy exchanges a look with her father and then turns back to her mother. “I’ll go get the stuff. Just don’t shoot him while I’m gone.” 

 Jiayang moves the gun from Daisy to Cal, and when she turns her head to watch her daughter walk away, Cal springs into action. He grabs the gun and twists it in her hands. She pulls the trigger, but it fires into the wall. Cal twists harder, and then wraps his hands around Jiayang’s to pull the trigger.

 Jiayang notices what he’s about to do and shoves him backward just as the gun fires. The momentum from the push and the gun discharge pushes Cal back and he stumbles, slamming his head into the edge of the table on his way down.

 Daisy already has her cell phone in her hands, 911 on the line. It’s too late, though. Once again, she’s standing in front of the carnage of death.

 She drops to her knees next to her father, cradling his body in her lap. “Daddy?” she whispers, but he doesn’t answer. She doesn’t think he ever will.

 When she looks across the room to see her mother’s body, her lip curls up in disgust and a surge of anger flows through her.

 She only wants one thing now.

 Seven days later at nine-thirty sharp Daisy stands at the abandoned Admiral gas station at the corner of Ninth and Cedar. A black car with a gray eagle emblem on its side pulls up. The door opens and Daisy sees a chinese woman wearing all black sitting in the driver’s seat. Daisy slides into the passenger seat.

 “You’re thirty minutes early,” the woman states, her voice emotionless. “I’m impressed.”

 “I want to know how to fight.” Daisy stares at the woman.

 She stares back. “Coulson scare you off already?”

 Daisy shakes her head. “No. Life did. I want to know how to fight so I can defend myself and others. You’re part of a global organization for safety, right? So teach me how to fight.”

 A hint of a smile appears on the woman’s face. “You have spirit. I like that. I’m Agent May. If you want to learn how to fight, you came to the right person.”

 The hospital shooting incident is in the paper the next day. Robbie sits in his kitchen, sipping black coffee as he reads about it. Each times he gets more information about it the urge to find and hunt down the Segundo Cielos is harder to suppress. 

 Underneath the article about the shooting is another horrible story. A local woman’s family found out that she was in contact with the gunmen who had been involved in the hospital shooting. She had pulled a gun and tried to leave, but her husband managed to turn it on her. Both ended up dead in the end.

 Robbie feels a little better that another person involved in the incident got what they deserved, although he feels bad for the couples’ daughter, who is mentioned as “being present” and a “witness to the crime.”

 As someone else who is parentless, Robbie knows the pain she must be feeling right now.

 “Did you read this yet?” he asks Gabe.

 The boy nods. “And I thought our family was dysfunctional.”

 “Yeah. At least we have each other. Who does she have?”

 “Everyone has something, whether it’s a person or an object or even an idea.” Gabe finishes his cereal and drops the bowl in the sink. “I have a school trip, remember? We’re going up to Washington D.C. for a week.”

 “Yeah. When do you leave?”

 “Five days. You’re going to have to drive me to the airport, so don’t forget.”

 Robbie smiles a little. “How can I forget? My little brother’s going away for a week. Now I can throw a wild party without getting crap for it.”

 Gabe rolls his eyes. “You won’t know what to do without me around. I bet you won’t even remember to go grocery shopping.”

 “You underestimate me, hermano. I’m going to do just fine.”


	6. Meetings and Mistruths

Disclaimer: All rights belong to Disney, Marvel, and all the men and women that created the Agents of SHIELD TV shows, and comics. I take no credit, and I do not mean to break any copyright rules. This is simply a work of fiction made for enjoyment. No money is being made.

Rating: T for dark themes, graphic violence, mentions of torture, drug abuse, supernatural violence, major character death, and minor language

Author's Note: This is a shorter chapter, but I think you'll be happy because Daisy and Robbie finally meet :)

 

Chapter 6: Meetings and Mistruths

Daisy steps into her car, her body sore and aching all over. After a whole week of training with Agent May - who is tough as nails and doesn't understand the concept of water breaks - Daisy is much more adept at fighting, but also exhausted. It doesn't help that she has to drive an hour each way to work.

She had gotten out late tonight. Coulson had shown her the tech rooms and she had gotten lost in the labyrinth of information. She probably would've stayed there all night by accident if the systems didn't turn off automatically at midnight. She could have started them back up, but her vision had begun to blur by then.

She turns the key in the ignition and the engine turns over but doesn't start. Great. A few more tries and finally the engine sputters to life.

"I really need to replace this piece of junk," she mumbles, wiping her eyes to try and clear them. She just needs to stay awake for another hour.

Staying awake turns out to not be the problem. Her engine, however, gives up in the middle of a sketchy area of L.A. She's still 45 minutes away from her apartment in the middle of the night.

Great.

At least she's been practicing fighting. Maybe she hold her own against any thugs that might show up.

Daisy grabs a flashlight from her glove department and steps out into the chilly night air. She pops the hood - steam from the engine comes out, which is never a good sign - and stares at the mess of metal parts.

Despite working in a mechanical shop for six months, she still has absolutely no idea what any of this is or what it does.

"Almost graduated from college and I'm still an idiot when it comes to practical things like fixing my own damn car," she mutters, kicking the fender.

She might be stuck out here all night.

The headlights of car that turns onto her street shines in her face, temporarily blinding her. She puts up one hand to shield her eyes, and holds the flashlight tightly in her other hand like a bat in case she needs a weapon.

The car, which blends in with the night, stops behind her busted car. The driver's side door opens and a latino guy in a black leather jacket steps out.

"Car trouble?" he asks.

"Yeah. Engine's smoking. No idea what's wrong with it."

He closes his car door, but instead of coming immediately to her he grabs a bundle of something - she can't tell what it is - from the passenger seat and dumps it in his truck.

After slamming his truck shut, he walks up to her. When he notices her tight grip on the flashlight he raises an eyebrow. "Gonna club me with that?"

Daisy sheepishly loosens her grip and hands it to him. "That depends on if you mean me harm."

He stands in front of the open hood and gives her a sideways look. "How much harm can a good Samaritan do you?"

He says it with a bit of irony, though she doesn't understand why. Must be a personal joke or reference.

"You good with cars?" she asks as he shines the flashlight around the engine.

"I'm a mechanic."

"Do most mechanics usually work at one in the morning?"

He ignores her question. "This doesn't look good. I'm going to have to take it to my shop and work on it there. How far do you live?"

Daisy sighs. "Forty-five minutes."

He looks up at her. "And what are you doing so far from home at this time of the night?"

"Sometimes my work gets out late."

The guy looks down at the engine again and Daisy realizes that sounded wrong.

"I'm not a pro -"

"I'm not judging." The guy closes the hood. "What you do for work is your business."

"I'm a computer specialist, and sometimes - like tonight - my boss lets me mess around in the tech rooms. I lose track of time easily."

What she doesn't say is that she works to keep her mind off other matters - matters like her recent losses.

The guy looks her up and down. "Yeah, you're a little too punk for a hooker."

She smiles a little. "I'm Daisy, by the way."

He shakes her hand, and she notices how calloused his are, proving that he really is a mechanic. "Robbie Reyes."

"So what are we going to do about my car?"

Robbie thinks for a minute. "Get in and put it in neutral. I'll push it into that parking lot for tonight, and in the morning I'll have some friends of mine tow it into my shop."

Daisy does as he says, and a few minutes later her car is safely off the streets.

She follows Robbie back to his car.

"Do you have any friends in the area?" he asks. "Or relatives? A significant other?"

She shakes her head. "My parents used to live a couple miles from the hospital but -" But I can't go back there. Not after what happened. "Um, I don't have any friends, either. No one else."

Saying it out loud makes it seem more real. Daisy really is alone now. It's just her in a cruel world.

Wow, her self-pity game tonight is strong.

Robbie looks at her sadly, and his expression holds a thousand words. "Okay. Get in. You can stay in the guest room at my place for the night. It's only a couple minutes from here."

Two minutes later they pull into the parking lot of his shop, and he shows her to the apartment over top.

"It's not much," he admits. "Just a few rooms."

"Do you live here alone?" Daisy asks, noticing that anywhere there's stairs, there's also a ramp. Everything can also be reached at a sitting down position.

"No, my little brother lives with me, but he's on a week long school trip." Robbie shows her a small, plain room with gray walls and a neatly made bed. A small table by the bed is covered in dust.

Obviously Robbie doesn't get very many guests. It either means he's a terrible person - Daisy doesn't get those vibes from him, though - or he's just too busy for relationships.

"You can sleep here. We only have one bathroom. It's just down the hall."

"Thank you," Daisy says, and she means it. He just nods and leaves. She hopes she isn't making a mistake. She doesn't think she is; she's good at reading people, and he doesn't seem bad. But there is something off about this whole situation.

Whatever. She doesn't need to get involved. She's just going to spend the night, get her car fixed, and she'll be back to her normal life.

 

Daisy, Robbie thinks, shaking his head as we walks from the guest room. She doesn't seem like a Daisy at all. Daisy are pretty little flowers that you put in vases to look at, or to smell. They're kind of...delicate.

So far, she's anything but. She works an hour away from where she lives, she was ready to fight him in case he turned out to be a criminal instead of a friendly neighbor, and she is completely alone - that's the opposite of weak.

But who is she? That's the bigger mystery. Obviously her parents are dead. As someone who has also experienced that same tragedy, he knows that look when he sees it. And from the way she couldn't say it aloud, it is obviously recent.

Losing your parents is something that unfortunately happens a lot. Not having friends, though? That's new. Robbie can tell if people are lying, and obviously she wasn't.

Maybe people just don't like her, although Robbie finds that hard to believe.

Whatever the case, he'll have to find it out in the morning.

Robbie and the guys are already working when Daisy comes out of the apartment, dressed solely in black.

He wipes his hands on his jeans and meets her halfway. "We're working on your car right now, but it's pretty bad. It might take a few days."

She nods. "Okay. I was about to make a grocery run."

"What?"

She rolls her eyes. "Your fridge is completely empty except for expired microwave dinners and half empty beer cans."

Why does she care? "I'm fine."

"Well, for one, I'm doing you a favor because I'm nice and you need help. I don't know how you survived before - unless your brother makes up the grocery list. And for two, if I'm staying here, then I'm making real food. It's the least I can do to repay you for your hospitality."

Robbie frowns. "How long do you plan on staying?"

"Until my car is fixed, of course. I can probably catch a bus or a taxi to my work from here, but if I go back to my place I'm stranded." Daisy stares at him, one eyebrow half raised as if challenging him to argue with her.

He doesn't, though. He's not entirely pleased about the arrangement, but it would be nice to have real food around. Then he can tell Gabe he did remember to go grocery shopping (his brother will never know the truth).

"Okay. Take the Dodge." He reluctantly hands her his key. Letting others drive that car is hard for him, and he's not sure why he's letting her do it. Even though it's out of absolute necessity, it hurts his soul a little. "But not a scratch."

She smirks as she takes the key from his hand. "Don't worry. I won't hurt your baby."

He watches her walk to the car and get in. Before she closes the door, he calls out, "Her name is Lucy!"

Daisy smiles before driving off. He watches her until the car is out of sight, then turns back to his work.

"¿Ella es muy bonita, eh?" Manuel says, slapping Robbie on the back.

"Why have you been hiding her from us?" Francisco teases.

Robbie shakes his head. "It's not like that -"

"He doesn't want to share," Nacho says lightly. "Es bueno. If I had una chica like her, I wouldn't, either."

Robbie sighs and decides it's not worth the effort to try and convince them that she isn't really his girlfriend.

Let others be happy believing the mistruths they deceive themselves with.


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: All rights belong to Disney, Marvel, and all the men and women that created the Agents of SHIELD TV shows, and comics. I take no credit, and I do not mean to break any copyright rules. This is simply a work of fiction made for enjoyment. No money is being made.

Rating: T for dark themes, graphic violence, mentions of torture, drug abuse, supernatural violence, major character death, and minor language

Author's Note: I'm double-updating today because I've been so terrible lately. I hope you enjoy the two chapters! Also, I will not be updating again until closer to January as I am going on Christmas break and will not have extended access to a computer. I hope you all have a good holiday weekend!

 

Chapter 7: Discoveries and Deceptions

Daisy loads the plastic bags of groceries into the passenger seat of Robbie's car, then glances around the parking lot to see if anyone is watching. She doesn't know why she feels so suspicious. There's just something about this whole situation that's bugging her. It's like a gut feeling that just won't subside, no matter how many times she checks behind her shoulder.

At first she had thought it was the whole staying-the-night-at-some-guy's-house-a-week-after-her-boyfriend-bit-it, but it's not that. She's not cheating on Lincoln in any way. She is only doing that out of necessity. No one can begrudge her that.

There's just something about Robbie. She can't quite put her finger on it, though. He seems pretty nice, and she doesn't get bad vibes from him, although he never explained what he was doing outside at two in the morning. Mechanics don't work night shifts, at least not the ones she's heard of. And she knows he's not lying about being a mechanic - his house is right above the mechanic shop, and when she left this morning he and a few guys were working on an engine. So what is it?

She scans the car as if it can give her some clues. Looking at it more closely, she notices it does seem familiar, though she can't remember where she remembers it from. She's never ridden in a car like it before, that's for sure. It's old - no electrical parts whatsoever, and the stick shift sometimes doesn't want to budge.

A sudden memory of last night hits her. After Robbie had pulled up to help her, he had taken something to the trunk. Maybe there are some clues inside.

Daisy feels slightly guilty as she closes the passenger door and heads around to open the trunk.

It's empty.

She doesn't buy that for a second. She runs her fingers around the seams of the lining. After a minute of searching she finds a raised layer and peels it back, revealing a hidden compartment.

It's filled with small handguns, bottles of arson, and a long metal chain.

Daisy drops the liner back immediately and shuts the trunk quickly, glancing around the parking lot again. No one had seen that except for her. But why does she feel guilty? It's not her items. She can't be held responsible for them.

It's natural to carry guns around in this kind of sketchy neighborhood, she justifies. I'm not sure about to chain or arson, but there's probably a perfectly normal explanation.

Because the weird thing is, despite this damning evidence, she still trusts Robbie.

Is she going crazy?

Daisy slumps into the driver's seat. So many crazy things have happened lately, and there's no end in sight, it seems. At least she has nothing or no one to lose now. You can't get lower than rock bottom.

Maybe that's why the weapons in the back don't bother her. Why would it, when death isn't a bad thing?

When she pulls the Dodge up the driveway to the shop, she can see Robbie's expression relax. He really does need to chill out about Lucy.

The rest of the guys around him look up as she steps out, grocery bags in hand. Robbie comes over and takes them from her.

"I got it."

"What, you don't trust me to put them away?"

"You don't know where they go."

She shrugs and walks over to where the insides of her car is exposed. The guys working on it look up and grin.

"I'm surprised Robbie let you drive the Dodge," one of them - the embroidery on his shirt says Francisco - says. "He doesn't let anyone drive it."

"He doesn't let anyone even touch it," one whose uniform says Nacho corrects.

"I guess I'm special, then." Daisy inspects their work, although she doesn't understand any of it. "How's this going?"

"It's coming along well, but it's very bad. And old car." Francisco stares at it and shakes his head.

Nacho leans against the side of it. "Not as bad as the Dodge after the accident."

Accident? Daisy glances at Lucy, but the car looks perfect. Especially considering her age. "What accident?"

The three guys exchange looks, but only Francisco speaks up. "Ask Robbie. We don't really know. He doesn't talk about it."

"It's a...touchy subject," Nacho adds.

The third worker just nods. Daisy gets the feeling he doesn't know much English.

Nacho stares at her for a long minute. "You look familiar."

"You saw me this morning." His gaze is unnerving her. He staring at her as if he knows something about her that he shouldn't.

"Sí." He shrugs and turns back to the engine.

Francisco holds out a greasy hand, which Daisy shakes. "It's nice to meet you, señorita. Robbie is a lonely man. It's good he's found someone."

Daisy wants to correct him but she also doesn't want to disappoint them, so she just nods. The third guy, Manuel, nods in return.

She heads towards the house, stopping to wash her hands in the old sink in the garage before entering.

Robbie is just finishing putting everything away. "Thanks," he says, and then he heads back out.

Daisy peers out the window, watching him rejoin his crew around her car. Even among the guys, he sticks out. While they joke and laugh, he keeps his head down and focuses on his work.

There is a certain kind of sadness that follows him around. Daisy wonders if has something to do with the accident the guys mentioned.

Robbie looks up and catches her eye through the window. She quickly steps back, slightly embarrassed.

She's going to figure this guy out before she leaves.

 

Robbie is buried in engine when Nacho's voice calls out his name. "Hey, Robbie."

"What?" Robbie straightens up and turns to the man. The devil inside him pushes, futilely trying to seize the justice it craves. Robbie pushes it back. It's getting easier to ignore.

"We were talking to your girl. I didn't know you were into that type."

"What type?" Robbie narrows his eyes, instantly suspicious. Daisy's been nothing but polite since she's been here. Maybe a little forward, but there's nothing wrong with that.

"The gang type." Nacho wipes a grimy wrench on his equally grimy jeans, not affected in the least by his statement.

"The gang type?" Francisco shakes his head. "She seems too nice for that."

Robbie doesn't jump to any conclusions. "What makes you say she's the gang type?"

"I thought I recognized her from somewhere when I saw her, but I couldn't figure out from what at the time. Then it hit me- it's not her I recognized, but her mother."

"How did you know her mom?" Robbie glances back at the apartment, but Daisy's not at the window anymore. He remembers Daisy all but telling him about her parent's death. This is doesn't add up.

"She's one of our contacts in Segundo Cielo. One of our best information receivers, in fact."

"How do know she's involved in it?"

Nacho shrugs. "Well, I've never seen her with any of the smugglers or anything, but I would assume she knows about it. Plus she does look the part."

Robbie frowns, but he doesn't say anything else. He just wants the day to be over with.

The devil inside him is going crazy. Everyone around Robbie is turning out to be involved in criminal acts. Who can he trust now?

After the shop closes and the guys leave, Robbie walks into the apartment to the smell of spaghetti. It's been so long since he had home baked food…

Daisy is pulling the pan out of the oven as he walks in. She smiles when she sees him. "I didn't know what you liked, but everyone likes spaghetti."

"It smells good." Robbie inwardly sighs. She just doesn't seem like the bad gang type. Why are all the good people in the world secretly bad?

"Good news," he says while they sit at the kitchen table and eat the good food. "Your car should be fixed by tomorrow."

"That is good." Daisy frowns, though, despite the information.

"What's wrong?"

She shakes her head. "It's nothing. It's stupid."

"Nothing is stupid if it means something to you." Robbie catches her eye and after a moment she looks down and stabs her fork into the pasta.

"It's just nice being around people again." Daisy twirls her utensil around. "The last week has been kind of lonely."

"Aren't there people at your work?"

"Yeah, but it's a new job. And I don't know them. They've been working together for a while now, and I'm the newby. It's kind of a dangerous job, and I think they're worried I'm going to screw everything up and then they'll get hurt as a result." Daisy shrugs. "They're just so cold to me."

Robbie feels the pit in stomach deepen. She really must be part of the gang, then. A new job that's dangerous? People who have been working together for a long time? The danger of screwing everything up, resulting in personal harm?

It all adds up. The reason why she was out late and super defensive, the way she lied about her parents being dead, and her being alone -

Why does it feel like everyone in this city in involved in something bad? It's hard to see good in the world when nice people get swept up in evil.

If she's part of Segundo Cielo then eventually he'll have to stop her, but he can put it off for some time, just like with Nacho. There are still plenty of Fifth Street Locos to occupy his time with. He just hopes she gets out of that mess before he has to get involved.

Because once the Ghost Rider shows up, there are no survivors.


	8. Damned and Damning

Disclaimer: All rights belong to Disney, Marvel, and all the men and women that created the Agents of SHIELD TV shows, and comics. I take no credit, and I do not mean to break any copyright rules. This is simply a work of fiction made for enjoyment. No money is being made.

Rating: T for dark themes, graphic violence, mentions of torture, drug abuse, supernatural violence, major character death, and minor language

 

Chapter 8: Damned and Damning

As Daisy works on preparing the spaghetti for dinner, she thinks about that last night. She had eaten spaghetti at the restaurant, Lincoln at her side and her parents across from her. Everything had been perfect in that moment.

If she closes her eyes, she can still feel Lincoln's hand on hers, still hear his voice in her ear, still smell the scent of his cologne…

After dinner, they had walked. The night had been chilly, so he'd lent her his jacket. She remembers walking pressed up against his side to stay warm. She liked walking close to him, or lying next to him on the couch while watching a movie. That way she could smell and feel him, a constant assurance that he, in fact, was hers.

She remembers him stopping and pointing at a graffitied wall. A car accelerating out of flames had been the featured centerpiece of the brick wall. An image of the black car comes to her mind, and suddenly she freezes.

She rushes to the window and looks down at the parking lot of the mechanic shop. Lucy is parked right where she can see it -

Robbie's car is exactly like the one from the graffiti art. And that car had been coming from fire, and Robbie has arson in his trunk…

No. It can't be. He seems too nice to be a murderer. Murderers wouldn't stop to help a stranded person with a messed up car. A murderer wouldn't let her stay at his house because she lives too far away to commute without a car.

It can't be him. Daisy shakes herself from the illusion and puts the spaghetti in the oven. Baked spaghetti is a recipe she learned from her mother. Before she, too, turned out to be a criminal.

As the food bakes, Daisy sits at the kitchen table and picks up a newspaper. She skips the articles about the hospital shooting and the shooting at her house - true to their word, the news article had omitted all mentions of her name and her family's name - and read the other articles. There are a few positive ones, but most of them are negative. One headline grabs in particular grabs her attention.

GHOST RIDER BURNS PATH THROUGH CRIMINALS IN CITY

She doesn't want to know how this ends, but she keeps reading.

GHOST RIDER BURNS PATH THROUGH CRIMINALS IN CITY

/An unknown vigilante rains down justice upon the gangs plaguing the city. While many citizens report feeling safer with the anti-hero around, his - or her - method of protecting the lawful is morally questionable. Over the past week there have been two reports of victims burned almost to the point of of being non-recognizable. In the first case, there were three men piled into a funeral pyre. Two of them were already deceased prior to the fire, but the third was burned alive. A nearby citizen heard the man's cries and called the ambulance, but he died on the way to the hospital. In the second case, a single member of the infamous Fifth Street Locos gang was found with strange burn marks around his chest, legs, and neck. Later evidence was found to support the theory that these burns were caused by a fiery chain.

It seems the locally-dubbed Ghost Rider uses fire to exact justice in an unsafe area. Although all the victims have been identified as hardened criminals, all citizens are advised to stay away from the streets after twilight and to report any sightings or information on this shadowy figure to the police. The Ghost Rider has only operated at night, so the police advocate staying inside after dark./

The chain. A fiery chain. Daisy covers her face with her palm and breathes slowly and deeply. Only operates at night.

There's little doubt in her mind at this point that Robbie either is or is connected to the Ghost Rider. But she's not about to convict him unless she is one-hundred percent sure.

Daisy glances at the entrance hall. Robbie's leather jacket, the one with the white figure, hangs from the doorknob. He almost never goes without it.

She heads to the guest room, where her laptop is sitting on top of the bed. She reaches into the case and pulls out a small camera the size of a small button. She'd seen a whole drawer of them at SHIELD the other night, and she couldn't resist taking one. It's the same kind the police use to protect themselves in case of lawsuits, only these are designed by the engineering genius there, Fitz, and therefore much better in quality and hardiness.

She removes the chip part of it and plugs it into her computer, then takes the button and places it on the collar of Robbie's leather jacket. It's so small he won't notice it, but the camera will catch everything.

"I really, really, really, hope you aren't who I think you are," she whispers. "For your sake, not mine."

The timer on the oven beeps, and as she slides on oven mitts to pull the pan of baked spaghetti out, the door opens and closes and Robbie meanders in.

She takes a deep breath. Here goes nothing.

*

After Robbie gets back from his work, he sits in his car for a long time, not able to move. It had been rougher than normal. He'd been too late to a crime. The perpetrator had, of course, paid for his crime, but Robbie hadn't been able to prevent it.

It always wears on him when he has to see an innocent person die, especially when he is at fault.

The victim this time had been a teenage boy. Just a kid. And one not too different than Gabe.

Robbie really hates his job.

Seeing that kid gasping out his last breaths had reminded him of the accident. It had reminded him of how short life really is.

And how quickly it can all end.

He finally drags himself out, but only because he knows sitting in the car won't do anything. It won't bring that kid back. It won't make the city any safer. It won't make Robbie feel any better.

The apartment is expectedly dark. He doesn't bother to take off his jacket or shoes as he heads to the kitchen, his goal the fridge. After tonight's mess, a beer would be really nice.

Of course, peace isn't something he's going to get. Daisy is sitting at the kitchen table, her laptop in front of her and her arms crossed. Of course.

"What is it?" Robbie asks wearily, passing her to grab two beers. He slides one across the table for her and slumps into the other chair on the opposite side.

"Rough night out playing Robin Hood, huh?" Daisy cracks open her beer but doesn't drink it.

"I don't steal from the rich to give to the poor," Robbie replies tiredly. He really doesn't want to have this conversation now. Not tonight, out of all nights. He's so worn down he almost doesn't care how she found out, or that even that she does know his secret. "I wish it was that simple."

"You're right," she concedes. "You kill bad people so the good people are safer. Vigilantism."

He looks up, smiles wryly, and shakes his head. "Oh, no. That's not what I do at all."

She frowns. "Then how would you describe your...extracurricular activities?"

"I'm out for vengeance." He expects to see a flicker of fear or surprise in her eyes, but instead she tilts her head in a curious expression. Maybe once she learns he hunts down gangs she'll start to rethink things.

"Interesting." She taps the pads of her fingers against the aluminum edge of the beer can. "Who are you avenging right now?"

Now it's Robbie's turn to frown. Why isn't she afraid? Or concerned? His exhaustion is long forgotten now. Who is this girl? And more importantly, what does she want?

"I chase down gang members. I have a history with a gang called the Fifth Street Locos." He pauses, then adds, "Though I recently have added Segundo Cielo to my list."

Her eyes widen at the mention of the second gang. She's busted.

But her response totally throws him off guard. "What do you know about Segundo Cielo?"

"Not much more than what the newspapers report. I know they were responsible for the hospital attack and that they're involved in smuggling. I know that they've been here for months, but they're so good at hiding that the police only recently discovered their existence. What do you know?"

Daisy shakes her head. "That's all I know, too."

She breaks eye contact with him, and that's where he catches her. "You're not telling me everything."

Daisy raises her chin but doesn't say anything more. Robbie tries a different angle. "Why did you lie about your parents' death?"

"What?"

"When I asked you if you had any parents, you said - or were about to say - that they died. But I know you're lying about that for the same reason you're lying about not knowing anything more about Segundo Cielo: because your mother is involved with that gang."

She clenches her jaw and he can hear her teeth grinding together. "I didn't lie about either. My mother and my father are dead. They died a week ago. The night my mother died I discovered her connections with Segundo Cielo. All I know is that they paid her well for information about the hospital shooting."

Robbie suddenly recalls the news story. "So that couple was your parents," he says. "The ones that killed each other. You were there when it happened."

She looks away. "I don't want to talk about it."

That's understandable. Robbie doesn't press that subject anymore. Instead he switches back to an earlier one. "So what's your interest in Segundo Cielo?"

"They killed someone I loved." In the darkness, he can still see a shimmer of tears in her eyes, and he suddenly wonders who she lost. "And what about you? Who are you avenging?"

"I'm after the Fifth Street Locos for personal reasons, but Segundo Cielo is next on my list because of the hospital shooting."

Daisy looks at him strangely. "Why do you do it? Why do you kill all those people? It doesn't seem like you all."

Robbie folds his hands on the table and leans forward. Now he's the curious one. "Who do I seem like to you?"

"An honest guy just trying to make a living for him and his kid brother." She shakes her head. "I don't understand why someone who murders people at night would be kind enough to help me with my car or to let me bunk out at their house. And the whole burning thing? That really doesn't seem like you. It's too harsh, too violent." She presses her lips together. "It's like there are two different versions of you."

She's so close to hitting the mark. She really is brilliant. "So you're not a member of Segundo Cielo?"

Daisy acts taken aback. "Hell no. I work for the government. And before you ask - I can't tell you any specifics. It's classified."

So Nacho was off. It's a bigger relief to Robbie than he would like to admit. "How'd you figure all of this out?"

"I saw graffiti of the Dodge driving out of the flames on a brick wall and noted that it was odd you had the same car. The night you helped me out I saw you take a load of something to your trunk, so when you let me borrow Lucy to go shopping, I snooped around and found the guns, chains, and arson. When I was waiting for dinner to cook, I skimmed through the news and saw an article on the Ghost Rider. All of his victims were either burned completely or had suspicious burns on their neck and chests, as if branded by an extremely hot chain. I put the pieces together." She lifts open her computer. "I also stuck a tiny camera on your jacket before you left, so I have video of the whole affair tonight."

She turns the computer to show him a paused image of the crime. "Here, I'll take my camera back." She reaches across the table and snatches a tiny black object from his collar. He hadn't even noticed it.

Her admission to snooping around kind of pisses him off, but he knows he would have done the same thing in her position. "So what are you going to do with all this information? Are you going to turn me in?"

Daisy looks surprised again. "Why would I do that?"

"It's what the newspaper and the media says to do. I'm awfully dangerous, aren't I?"

"Only to those on the wrong side of the law. And I don't ever trust the media."

"So what do you want?"

She closes her laptop slides it out of the way so there's nothing between her and him but the table. She leans in closer. "I want the same thing you do. Segundo Cielo killed someone I loved dearly. I want them to pay."

He sighs deeply. "You want vengeance."

Daisy nods. "I want all of them to pay for what they've done to me. And I don't want them to have a comfortable life in prison, either. I want them to suffer. I want them to die seeing me in their last breaths and knowing that they got what they deserved."

"You want them to see Hell before they even make it there."

She nods again, completely serious. "Exactly."

Robbie closes his eyes and leans back, suddenly exhausted again. Here he is, confronted with his past self in a slightly different form. He has the chance to change everything. He can set her on the right path, or she can follow in his footsteps and be doomed to a bondage to revenge like him.

He's about to tell her no, but when he looks into her eyes and sees the fire raging inside, he knows she won't settle for anything less than yes. And if he denies her, then she'll go and do it her own way.

If he can't stop her, he can at least keep her from getting hurt in the process.

"Okay. I'll help you."


	9. Archives and Admissions

Disclaimer: All rights belong to Disney, Marvel, and all the men and women that created the Agents of SHIELD TV shows, and comics. I take no credit, and I do not mean to break any copyright rules. This is simply a work of fiction made for enjoyment. No money is being made.

Rating: T for dark themes, graphic violence, mentions of torture, drug abuse, supernatural violence, major character death, and minor language

 

Chapter 9: Archives and Admissions

"Lower your hands. You're leaving your entire chest wide open." Melinda May walks around the inspects Daisy's position. "Not bad."

Daisy relaxes, wiping some sweat off her forehead. She had stayed up so late waiting for Robbie last night that she'd barely gotten any sleep. Now she's paying the price.

"You look exhausted," May observes. "Why don't we stop early today? You're not getting much out of this session."

Daisy reaches down and picks up her towel. "Thanks. I think I'll go down to the lab and see what FitzSimmons is doing."

"Good idea."

She showers and changes back into normal clothes, then heads to the science lab. The cold water had helped wake her up a little bit, but she could still do with some coffee. She brings two cups for Fitz and Simmons.

Simmons is working at a microscope, and she doesn't even bother looking up as Daisy sets a cup of the steaming beverage down near him. "Thank you, Daisy. And good morning."

"What are you working on?" Daisy asks, knowing full well she won't understand it.

"I'm researching the effect of different environments on the DNA of bacteria," the bio-chem major replies. She finally lifts her head. "It's fascinating!"

"I'm sure it is." Daisy thinks that kind of stuff is boring, but she pretends to be excited for her co-worker's sake.

Next is Fitz, who is sitting at the computer desk and tracking something. Daisy sets down the coffee and looks over his shoulder. "What are you doing?"

He watches for a moment longer then spins around on the chair and stands. "You have to come see this," he urges, weaving through the science lab tables and shelves to a white desk covered in a type of small handgun.

"You've invented firearms?"

Her sarcasm is lost on him. Fitz picks up the gun and shows her the chamber of bullets. They are tinier than normal bullets, and these ones look like plastic filled with something that's a navy blue color.

"I'm thinking of calling them night-night guns," he says. She can sense the excitement in his posture and tone. "They're kind of like tranquilizers, except different. Tranquilizers are depressants, and they work by calming down the central nervous system. The serum in my night-night guns spreads through the bloodstream and freezes body function temporarily - kind of like freezing someone in ice. It preserves them, so they're fine, but they can't move."

"What purpose does that serve that tranquilizers can't?" she asks, picking up the gun and examining it.

"If someone is hurt and we can't get them to a hospital on time, you shoot them with one of these and it buys you a few hours. Or it can stabilize someone who is the midst of a medical condition like a heart attack."

"Huh. You should call them Icers, instead." Daisy walks around the table, sliding her fingertips across the smooth surface. "Do you think you could get me into the tech room, Fitz?"

He looks up from his tablet. "The tech room? I don't know. You're supposed to have level seven clearance, unless Coulson lets you through. You only have level five."

Daisy internally sighs. She needs to get her hands on SHIELD's information database. They have to have records of all the gangs, or at least all the criminals.

"I'm sorry, Daisy. I'd like to help you, but you'll have to take that up with Coulson." Fitz returns back to his work station, and Daisy grips the table hard, taking her frustration out silently.

There has to be another way to get that information. Daisy sneaks on a computer in the lab and pulls up a map of the base. She notices there are two huge unmarked rooms in the basement. "Wonder what you are," she murmurs to herself, closing the tab and heading down towards them.

The basement is dark and creepy, but she shines a small flashlight around and shakes away her chills. There are armed government agents upstairs. No way is anything bad going to happen to her here.

The first room has a huge, rusted lock on it. She picks it with a bobby pin easily and slips in, shutting the huge door quietly behind her.

The room has old rusted scaffoldings around, rotting wooden shelves stretched between the metal bars. An eagle emblem similar to, but not quite, the SHIELD emblem is painted on the wall with the letters SSR about.

On the wooden shelves are boxes of files. There must be thousands of them in this room. Daisy opens a box and skims through the papers.

1952\. 1954. 1967. 1970.

Years of history is spread out in this room, but it's all too ancient. She needs more recent information.

She heads to the second unmarked room and picks that lock, too. The shelves here are in better shape and the papers are not as yellowed or as frail. The dates are much more recent, too, and some of these boxes are labeled.

This must be the archive where all the physical copies of information is kept. Everything she'd find in the tech room must also be in here.

But looking around at the dozens of shelves and the hundreds of boxes, all of which are filled with even more papers, Daisy realizes this could be a long search.

As she starts rifling through a box, she begins to recognize how dependent she is on modern technology - most of all, search bars.

"How did anything get done in the old days?" she asks the silent room, shoving the lid back on the box and heaving it back on the shelf. "This is going to take me days."

The boxes don't answer her.

-

Robbie watches Daisy walk up the driveway, her computer bag slung over her shoulder and lightly thumping against her leg with each step. Dressed in all black - like usual - she stands out sharply against the bright day.

She looks exhausted when she approaches him.

"Rough day?" he asks.

She nods. "I was trying to look for information on…" she trails off, glancing at his crew members - who are all probably listening in. She recovers and continues. "On you know what. I couldn't get into the digital information files, so I'm stuck having to go through the paper copies in the archives."

"I bet that's fun."

She rolls her eyes, and he resists the urge to smile. It's amusing whenever she gives people that look. "Yeah. A blast. It might take days before I get anything useful."

Robbie steps closer and lowers his voice to the guys can't hear. "You won't get in trouble for snooping around, right?"

Daisy shakes her head. "No. I've only been working there a week, so I have nothing to do except for training. When I'm not training, they could care less where I am."

"I just don't want you getting fired for this. It's not worth it."

She cocks an eyebrow. "That depends, I suppose. I think my vengeance is worth losing everything I have left. Not that I have much to lose anymore."

Robbie steps even closer and grabs her arm tightly, forcing her to listen to him. "It's not worth it. Right now, in the midst of the pain and the grief of whatever you lost, you think you'd die to get revenge. But later, a month from now, maybe a year, you'll regret it."

"And you're the expert on loss?"

"I have some experience." If she wants to ruin her whole life, then she can go ahead. Robbie has tried to help her as much as he can. If she doesn't listen to him then there's nothing more he can do.

She stares at him for a long minute, as if trying to read what he means. After a moment she steps away. "Okay. I'll be inside."

He doesn't really believe she's listening to him, but at least he tried. He watches her walk up to the house, chin lifted high. She's too confident. That's her biggest problem. She thinks she is willing to sacrifice everything. But when the storm is passed, what will she have left? Will it be enough for her to keep going on?

Revenge doesn't make anything better. It doesn't bring back the things or the people that you lost. It just prevents the guilty person from acting wrongly again.

But some people just need to learn from experience.

"She's a spicy one," Francisco says when Robbie turns back to the engine they're working on. "Full of fire."

Just like me, Robbie thinks to himself. Being full of fire isn't good, because often people will catch fire around you on accident. And some people can't handle the flames. "Yeah, I guess she is."

"The brighter they burn, the faster they burn." Francisco sighs, and Robbie notices a far away look in his eyes. "They're gone before you know it."

"What do you mean?"

"People who live life quickly - like her - live too quickly. They take more risks, live more dangerously. They aren't the kind that aspire to grow old and retire quieter. No, they are the ones who die in action before the curse of age hits them." Francisco shoves his hands in his pockets. "She reminds me of my sister."

"What happened to her?" Robbie has never heard Francisco get this deep before. Usually the guys only talk about funny stories. Never anything personal.

"She lived life too fast and was gone before we could blink. You have to find a way to slow her down without dimming her flame." Francisco walks past Robbie and pats him on the shoulder. "Buena suerte."

"Good news," Robbie says as he enters the apartment. "Your car is fixed."

"That is good." Daisy turns off the faucet and dries her hands. "Are you kicking me out now?"

He shrugs. "We're working together now. It's a little different situation than before." He stops to think for a moment longer. "But you have to be gone before my brother gets back. He can't know anything."

"Why not? Why are you hiding such a big secret from him?" Daisy frowns. "I thought you trusted him."

"I do. With my life." She won't understand until she meets Gabe. Which she won't ever do, if everything goes according to plan. "But he worries about me too much already. If he knew what I did with my free time…"

"He would be disappointed in you," she finishes. "So he doesn't agree with the whole vigilante thing, huh?"

Robbie shakes his head. "I don't want him worrying about me, either. He needs to focus on his schooling. He has a bright future ahead of him. I don't want to get in the way of that."

"You never finished high school yourself, did you?"

How does she read people so well? Daisy always seems to know what he's thinking. "No. But I'm making sure he gets through college."

Her face softens. "That's really sweet."

He shrugs. "I don't want him to have a life like mine. He's so smart, he's meant for much bigger things. I'm satisfied with staying right here and working on cars, but he is never happy with little goals. He always is reaching for the sky, and who am I to stop him when he has the potential to reach it?"

"I used to dream like that." She moves her eyes to the floor.

"Why did you stop?" She's a genius. She could do anything she wants. If he's figured this out in two days, then how can she not see if for herself?

"When everyone I loved died." She pushes herself away from the counter. "It made me realize that potential does not mean the same thing as destiny. Maybe I can do amazing things, but I don't want to. I think I'm meant to stop these gangs." She lifts her eyes up and looks at him again. "So, what's the plan for tonight?"

"I am going to go on patrol for any Fifth Street Locos that are hanging around the city. You are staying here."

She smiles tightly. "That's not going to work. As you said yourself, we're in this together. I'm going with you."

Robbie knows a losing fight when he sees it. "Fine. But when the killing starts, stay back. I'm not quite...myself."


	10. Missions and Mysteries

Disclaimer: All rights belong to Disney, Marvel, and all the men and women that created the Agents of SHIELD TV shows, and comics. I take no credit, and I do not mean to break any copyright rules. This is simply a work of fiction made for enjoyment. No money is being made.

Rating: T for dark themes, graphic violence, mentions of torture, drug abuse, supernatural violence, major character death, and minor language

Author's Note: Thank you for your kind reviews! They always make my day :)

 

Chapter 10: Missions and Mysteries

The night is oddly quiet. Daisy sits in the passenger side of Robbie's Dodge, staring at the window and watching the dim lamps pass by. About half of them aren't working. It's the main reason the area seems so sketchy, in her opinion.

The world seems like a completely different place at night. All the good people are tucked away, sleeping safely through another night. Now is the time of criminals. She's seen at least three vandalizers spray painting on brick walls or sidewalk blocks. But it all seems so distant from inside the safety of the car.

Robbie is silent as he drives. He isn't usually a talkative person to begin with, but now he is especially quiet. His eyes scan the streets and alleys around them with precision and complete focus. He's almost a different person. She wonders if it has to do with his comment about not being quite himself during this time.

They pass an alley filled with dark, hooded figures, and Robbie turns the car sharply around, parking parallel to the curb. Daisy slides on a pair of leather gloves with metal rings built in around the knuckle areas. Robbie wears an identical pair.

"Is this Fifth Street?" she whispers, too scared to disturb the silence completely.

"No. Just a regular drug bust."

"You're not going to kill them for doing some drugs, are you?"

He shakes his head. "No. Just going to break it up. Maybe one of them will know something about the Locos."

They step out of the car at the same time. A few of the hooded figures turn their way but then they turn back to the center of the group, not sensing a threat.

They couldn't be more wrong.

Robbie grabs on the people by the back of their sweatshirt and pulls them back, ripping a needle from the guy's hands and chucking it on the ground before using his boot to grind the shattered remains into the cement. He delivers a hard punch to the guy's jaw and then tosses him on the ground behind him to move on to the next victim.

Daisy kicks the legs out from under one and then kicks them in the face. The guy falls on the ground, blood gushing from his nose.

They move through the group quickly. Robbie collects all the drugs in a pile and drops a match on the midst of it. A few of the figures moan in protest, but between the drugs they've already consumed and the beating they'd received, none of them are in any shape to resist.

Robbie grabs one of them by the collar and heaves him up. "What do you know about the Fifth Street Locos?" he asks harshly.

"They supplied us the drugs," the figure cries. "Please don't hurt me."

"Where are the suppliers?"

"They meet at the abandoned packaging warehouse by the bay," he gasps out. "They should still be there now."

Robbie drops him and he and Daisy jog to the car. He shifts the gears as he speeds up well past safe and legal limits. Daisy doesn't say a word. She sits tensely, her body ready for action and her adrenaline thrumming from the small skirmish.

"I want you to grab a gun before we get out. Fifth Street is going to be armed, unlike those druggies. There's one in the glove compartment." Robbie's voice is terse, leaving no room for objections.

Daisy opens the compartment and takes the small handgun, tucking it into her waistband. "I'm only using it as a last resort."

"That's fine. Just don't get yourself killed."

Robbie slams on the breaks at the last minute and the Dodge screeches to a stop. There's a light shining out from the boarded up windows. Daisy is ready to rush in, but Robbie stops her.

"Wait."

"What?"

"There's going to be armed guards, so be careful. And...keep your distance from me." She notices he's twitching slightly, as if extremely uncomfortable. "I'll explain later."

"Okay." Whatever he says. They may be working together, but Daisy knows he's still in charge. This is his turf, after all.

Robbie heads in first, his chain gripped in his hand. Daisy decides to stay well out of the way of that thing. She doesn't want to accidentally get clocked in the side of the head.

A burst of gunfire issues forth from the open door, causing her to jump back. Robbie steps into the warehouse fully, his chain flicking forward. The gunfire stops for a moment before starting up again. Daisy creeps in behind her partner. There's only one dim lamp, but suddenly Robbie's chain bursts into flames. The firelight is reflected in his eyes, and a chill goes down her spine.

This isn't the same Robbie who offered to fix her car or who works at a mechanic shop. He really is a completely different person.

The light from the chain illuminates the shooters and Robbie swings it, the heavy end of it hitting the first shooter. Daisy heads towards the second, sneaking up behind him in the shadows. None of them have seen her yet. They're all too focused on the devil in front of them.

She wraps her arms around one shooter's neck, taking him completely by surprise. He struggles to escape her grip, but she pulls her arms in tighter. A second later he relaxes, unconscious. She moves on to the next one.

As she passes a shooter downed by Robbie's chain, she notes the awful blisters and burns across his chest and neck. It's a good thing she's on Robbie's side, she thinks wryly.

Robbie moves on to the third shooter, so Daisy abandons that mission and instead heads deeper into the warehouse. These are only the guards up front. The actual drug dealers must be in the back.

The dark unnerves her, but she keep pushing forward. She keep one hand resting over top of the gun in her waistband.

She hears the attacker slightly before he hits her, and she manages to duck out of the way. He still slams into her with enough force to knock her down, but she rolls to the side and away from him. The back of her head throbs from the impact of the fall.

The guy that hit her isn't armed with a gun, but with an array of needles. Great. She found one of the dealers.

He takes a needle and swipes it her way, but she grabs his wrist with one hand and slams her brass knuckles into his face with the other. He groans and rolls over, and she jumps to her feet, slamming a boot into his face.

She finds another dealer not much farther away, only this one isn't so eager to fight her. He starts running, and she tackles him from behind. He hits the ground hard, and she turns him over and straddles him, leaning her arm and elbow against his throat.

She presses hard, and he begins to squirm under her less and less. He tries to say something but it just comes out as a gurgle.

"It's not my fault you made a bad decision," she mutters, leaning harder into his throat.

There's a noise behind her, and before she can react a small needle is stabbed into her neck. It barely hurts, but she's concerned about what's in it.

She manages to throw her elbows back a few times, connecting with soft flesh each time. The drug dealer behind her groans, and she knows he's still weak from her first assault on him, but the drug is starting to take affect on her systems.

The warehouse walls seems to start closing in on her. She has enough sense to realize she was injected with a hallucinogen.

Her mind begins to warp the world around her. There's a flash of light and a cry, but they both seem so far away. The arms around her release and she tries to crawl away, but the floor is shifting under her and the air is one fire…

She turns and sees the Ghost Rider, the chain in his hands flaming as he brings it down upon the drug dealer. He looks just like on that brick wall, his head a skull on fire. Fire is raining down everywhere and the world is spinning…

The Ghost Rider turns to her, then, and everything goes black.

-

Robbie sees the way her pupils are dilated and the way her eyes are wide, as if she can't believe the world is as it appears. She sees him and tries to scramble away, but her body convulses and then she stops moving.

What happened to her? Robbie kneels down and takes a syringe from the fallen drug dealer. Whatever drug is in this is something new and extremely dangerous. The guy couldn't have injected her more than five minutes ago, yet she is already showing symptoms.

Most hallucinogens take much, much longer to show effects. He's encountered enough druggies to know that.

He slips the syringe in his jacket pocket and then picks up his fallen partner. As he exits the warehouse, he drops a single match in a dry wooden box near the doorway.

The warehouse lights up behind him as he drives back to his apartment. He glances over at Daisy, who is slumped over in the passenger seat. Her skin is extremely pale and her forehead is covered in sweat. He knows she's probably safe, because there was only one emptied syringe at the scene, but it's going to be a rough night.

He brings her in and lays her on the couch, then sits in the armchair next to it. In one hand he opens a beer for himself.

She's passed out pretty soundly, but occasionally she twitches or mumbles something. He never understand what she's saying, though. Sometimes she says things in a different language. He thinks it's Chinese, but he's not sure.

He means to stay awake for the whole night in case she needs him, but he's more exhausted than he realizes and eventually dozes off.

When he wakes up the next morning, he sees her lying on the couch, this time her eyes open. He jumps slightly, then recovers.

"You should have woken me up."

Her shoulders shift slightly in what he thinks is supposed to be a shrug. Upon further inspection, her eyes are still bleary and slow to move.

"Are you feeling okay?"

It's such a dumb question, and even she manages a slow eye roll. Robbie stands up and walks over to her. "Here, how about you sit up and I'll bring you some aspirin and water."

Once she drinks some of the water and swallows the pills, she clears her throat. "I didn't wake you up because you looked tired."

"I'm used to sleepless nights. But thanks."

He places his hand on her forehead. She has a high than normal temperature, but not high enough to be alarming.

"What was that stuff they injected me with?" Her voice still sounds raspy.

"I'm not sure. It was dangerously potent, though. I got a sample." He reaches into his pocket and pulls the syringe out. "I'll try and see if I can find someone who can identify this."

Daisy shakes her head. "I work with someone who can," she says. "I'll take it in when I go back."

"Not today, though. You're not going anywhere." Robbie takes her glass and refills it up. "You need to rest. No more night missions for a while, either."

"I don't know how he snuck up on me, though." Daisy shakes her head. "I knocked him out about two minutes before he injected me."

"Maybe you only thought you did. Or maybe the drugs empowered him." Robbie stands in the doorway. "I'll be outside in the shop with the guys. If you need something, let me know."

Even as he heads out, though, he's anxious about leaving her alone. Even in the only couple days he's known her, he's noticed she has a uncanny ability to find trouble.

He also seriously hopes that the drug dose she got is out of her system for good. Drugs that strong are not something she or anyone else should be messing with.

Above all, though, he's just really glad she's okay.


	11. Plots and Plans

Disclaimer: All rights belong to Disney, Marvel, and all the men and women that created the Agents of SHIELD TV shows, and comics. I take no credit, and I do not mean to break any copyright rules. This is simply a work of fiction made for enjoyment. No money is being made.

Rating: T for dark themes, graphic violence, mentions of torture, drug abuse, supernatural violence, major character death, and minor language

 

Chapter 11: Plots and Plans

Daisy only takes one sick day before returning to work. She's still not feeling great, but she has work to do, and sitting around Robbie's apartment playing candy crush on her phone isn't productive.

The syringe with the mystery drug is snuggled in her pocket. She's going to take care of that first. She heads to the science lab, where Fitz is testing his night-night gun and Simmons is still examining her little pet bacteria.

Daisy stands next to the scientist. "Hey, Jemma."

The bio-chem major looks up. "Oh, hello, Daisy! You're feeling better, I presume?"

Daisy shrugs. "A little."

Jemma sighs and feels her forehead. "Still a bit of a temperature. And you're a slight pale. But if you think you're up to being here..."

"I don't want to miss too much time. But hey, can I ask you a slight favor?"

The scientist appears surprised, but she nods. "Sure."

Daisy pulls the syringe out of her pocket. "Can you analyze this for me? It's a super powerful hallucinogen. It was left behind at a drug bust scene."

Jemma carefully takes the syringe, squinting in at the colored liquid. "Do you know what exact hallucinogen it is? Or at least which one it's derived from?"

"No. But the effects start immediately."

"Immediately?" Simmons slips it into her pocket and stares at Daisy. "I will look at it right away. But shouldn't the police be on this?"

"I thought SHIELD was a bit more competent. Besides, if this is really as powerful as I've heard it is, then this might be over the heads of the local police."

"I suppose you're right." She sighs and adjusts her lab glasses. "The police can't even keep a hold on the gang activity. It's gotten so bad that vigilantes are on the loose trying to clean up the messes."

"About that..." Daisy is suddenly worried about Robbie. "At what point does SHIELD step in to take care of dangerous vigilantes?"

"Well, that's entirely up to Coulson. Usually we don't do anything until they start hurting innocent people, though. Although if the death count gets too high we'll step in, too. Why?"

Daisy shakes her head. "I just think that if someone has enough balls to step up and start doing the job the police can't do, they shouldn't be punished for it. Putting the good people in jail is just making the world a slightly worse place to be in."

Jemma sets a hand on her shoulder. "If the vigilante is killing enough people to alarm SHIELD, then are they really a good person? There are ways to capture criminals without killing them. Anything more is overkill, unless it's on accident."

Daisy disagrees. She doesn't think Robbie is a bad person. He's trying to make a difference, trying to keep more good people from being hurt by bad people. He only kills those who deserve it. And if he gets captured, who knows how many gangs will start to overrun L.A.

"Well, I better start working on this." Simmons smiles a little. "I hope you feel better."

Daisy nods and heads down to the archives, the conversation still troubling her. She also remembers how Robbie seemed last night. He had warned her to stay away from him when the attacking started, and seeing how violent he had gotten -

It really was like he became a different person. The Robbie who offered her a place to stay and who fixed her car for free wouldn't kill people. The Robbie who cares for his disabled brother wouldn't set out every night to get violent vengeance on those who do wrong.

When Daisy was talking to Jemma, was she defending Robbie or the version of him that actually does the killing? And if there are two of him, how does one separate the two?

She shakes her head, clearing her thoughts. She needs to focus on the research she's doing. She's only gone through one shelf, and there are still at least half a dozen to search through.

An hour into her search, she hears a voice, and suddenly the door opens. She jumps to her feet, the pages she'd been sifting through floating up slightly with the motion.

The engineer, Mack, enters. "What are you doing in here?" he asks, surprised.

"Uh...I'm looking through some files for Fitz," Daisy lies, knowing Fitz will cover for her. Out of everyone here, Fitz and Simmons are the only ones who have really made an effort to get to know her, and out of the two of them, Fitz is the one who would lie for her.

"Okay. Do you think you can help me out for a minute?" Mack steps in and scans the labels on the boxes. "I'm looking for information on HYDRA."

"Yeah. I think I read some files in one of these boxes about it." Daisy lifts two boxes up and sets them on the table. "You might have to sort through them a bit. Nothing's really organized here."

She starts to go back to her work, but something's bothering her. When she'd been reading through the files, she remembered reading that HYDRA had been a neo-nazi organization that had been growing inside SHIELD for some time. Obviously, once the infringement had been noted, it had all been resolved and the criminals headed straight for prison, but SHIELD had taken some time to regrow. HYDRA had collapsed then.

So why is Mack looking for information on an organization that no longer exists?

"What's going on?" she asks him casually, hoping he won't spout something about her not having a high enough level of clearance. She's heard that too many times in her week and a half working here.

"Coulson just thinks there are some individuals who managed to escape the HYDRA extermination. We're searching to see if there are any leads to where they might be."

"Huh. Well, if I come across any more HYDRA files, I'll let you know."

"Thanks." Mack turns back to his work, and she finishes up searching through her box. She decides to call it a day, and as she leaves, she turns to the agent.

"There's no way HYDRA can reform, right?"

He shakes his head. "Not as HYDRA, but perhaps as something else. But that's why we're here. SHIELD is made to identify and squash those uprisings before they grow out of hand."

"Could they reform as a gang?"

This time he frowns. "I hadn't considered that. They could, but it wouldn't be your normal hit-and-run type gangs."

"How about an underground smuggling gang?" Daisy is thinking of none other than Segundo Cielo.

"You might be onto something," Mack murmurs. "I'll check it out. And I'll make sure to tell Coulson that you came up with the idea."

Maybe if she proves to be right Coulson will let her on a mission finally.

A horrible thought occurs to her then. If SHIELD takes care of Segundo Cielo, then how can she get her revenge? They'll just stick the criminals in a prison, where they'll live out the rest of their lives in a decent luxury. Daisy doesn't want that for them. They deserve worse. Segundo Cielo took her life from her. It's only fair she repays the favor.

She and Robbie need to step up their pace if they're going to get to the gang before SHIELD does.

-

Daisy seems agitated when she gets back from her work. Robbie stops working early to see what's wrong.

When he enters the house, he sees her pacing the tiny kitchen, her mouth moving silently, as if she's trying to figure something out.

"Daisy, what's up?" he asks.

She stops and faces him. "Some people at my work think Segundo Cielo might be a reincarnation of an old neo-nazi organization hell bent on creating chaos."

Where on earth does she even work? "Okay. That wouldn't surprise me."

"Don't you get it?" she exclaims, throwing her hands up.

"No," he says slowly. "Whatever they are doesn't change anything."

"The government is going to crack down on them soon. If we don't hurry, we're not going to get our revenge!"

She is too distraught about that fact. Robbie knows she's too invested in her little mission. "Daisy, that's a good thing. You can let this go. The government will take care of everything, and you can start rebuilding your life."

She slams her palms down on the table. "No! That can't happen. I can't move on until the people who ruined my life pay their dues. And the government will just hole them up in some nice building for the rest of their lives. Or maybe even for only a short time."

"Getting revenge won't make your life any easier," he says calmly, but she isn't in the mood to listen.

"But I'll feel better."

"No, you won't. Trust me. I've been in this business for years now, and it has never made me feel better." Robbie holds eye contact with her for a long time, but she breaks it eventually, slumping into a chair.

"I'm not you," she finally says, her arms crossed stubbornly over her chest.

"We are what we've been through," Robbie states. "And we've been through pretty similar situations. We're more alike than you think."

Daisy looks over at him, fire in her eyes. "You have no idea what I've been through."

With fire like that, she's going to burn so quickly. Robbie can't let that happen. Maybe he didn't ask for her to come into his life, but now that she's here he has to help her. Maybe this is what will finally set him free.

He knows she won't ever give up, so he's just going to have to follow through with her. He can try and make the situation better.

"Okay. Do you have a plan?"

She scowls and slumps lower in the chair.

"I'll take that as a no." He pulls up his own chair and sits down. "So here's what we're going to do."

She uncrosses her arms and looks over at him. "Shoot."

"We need to find someone in Segundo Cielo. We'll get information out of them, in any way it takes. Once we find out where they're based, we'll infiltrate it and take out everyone there. You can get ahold of their computers and hack into them and find out any other locations they have, along with a list of anyone involved. Then we'll work our way through the list."

She blinks. "That seems so easy."

"It rarely is, trust me." He catches her eye. "But if we're doing this, you have to promise me one thing."

"What?"

"When we finish with this - once you get your vengeance - you have to quit. No more night missions, no more taking down gangs. You hang up your jacket, put away your boots, and continue on with life as if this never happened."

Daisy nods. "I just want revenge. That's it."

He relaxes at hearing that. "Good. Oh, and one more important thing."

She raises an eyebrow.

"My brother is going to be home soon, so you'll need to move back to your apartment."

"How are we going to meet up for our...night visits?"

He nods at her phone on the table. "I have your number. I'll call you when I need you."

"When you go out," she corrects, her gaze steely. "I'm already in deep. There's nothing more you can protect me from."

She really does drive a hard bargain. "I'll call you when my work pertains to you."

After a long moment of hesitation, she nods. "Alright. We have a deal, then."

"Any luck on your research?" he asks, changing the subject.

"No. I'm getting closer, though. There are only so many boxes left to search. I'll find it eventually."

He can see she's frustrated about not finding it, though. "It'll all work out."

She smiles a bit, and he frowns. "What?"

"Do you ever worry?" she asks, looking amused.

"Of course. Just not about things that are beyond my control."

She looks away. "That's a good talent to have."

He wonders what she means by that.


	12. Success and Setback

Disclaimer: All rights belong to Disney, Marvel, and all the men and women that created the Agents of SHIELD TV shows, and comics. I take no credit, and I do not mean to break any copyright rules. This is simply a work of fiction made for enjoyment. No money is being made.

Rating: T for dark themes, graphic violence, mentions of torture, drug abuse, supernatural violence, major character death, and minor language

 

Chapter 12: Success and Setback

Daisy ducks under May's fist and then pops up again, grabbing the fist and using it to throw May on the ground. May twists, however, and takes Daisy down with her.

May gets her arm around Daisy's throat and squeezes. After a moment she releases her and stands up, offering a hand. With a groan, Daisy grabs it.

"What was your mistake?" May asks.

"Fighting you," Daisy murmurs to herself.

May overhears, and a small smile emerges on her lips. "Besides that?"

"I didn't move over when I tried to flip you, and my stance wasn't firm."

"Good." May claps her on the back. "Shall we go again?"

Daisy is saved from further torture by Jemma. The scientist appears from the hallway. "Actually, May, I'm going to need her."

The older agent nods. "Alright. You're free to go." Her heart leaps and she barely keeps a smile of relief from forming as she follows Simmons to the lab.

The British girl's steps are quick. "Is something wrong?"

"I finished the analysis on that hallucinogen you gave me." Jemma turns, facing Daisy. Her eyes are wide. "Daisy, I really hope that isn't on the streets."

"What is it?"

"I'm still not sure." Jemma sighs. "I tested it on some lab mice. It's extremely addictive. Once addicted, it can quickly build up a tolerance. If taken away, the withdrawals are horrendous."

"Is there any cure for it? Any way to stop the symptoms?"

Again the scientist sighs. "I would have to create one, but since I'm still trying to figure out the substance itself, it could take weeks."

"Thank you."

"Daisy - whoever has possession of this drug must be stopped. If you have any idea, any of at all, you have to tell us."

"There's a local gang called Fifth Street Locos. I think they're the ones distributing it."

Jemma nods. "I'll tell Coulson right away."

Daisy then heads down to the archives. She's so close to finishing her search - only a few boxes remain.

As she walks, she bumps into Mack. He stops her briefly.

"I talked to Coulson about what you mentioned the other day. He was really impressed. I think we're seriously going to look into that angle."

"Oh. Thanks, I guess." Hopefully SHIELD chases after Fifth Street and not Segundo Cielo.

"No, it's really good work. I think Coulson might let you on some of these next few missions."

"Really?" Daisy had assumed she'd have to work months before getting an actual mission. Apparently she's earning her way on fast.

"Yeah. I put in a good word for you. Fitz backs me up, too." Mack sticks out his hand. "Welcome to the team, Daisy."

She shakes it and smiles. These people aren't as cold as she had initially thought. "Thanks, Mack. I'm excited to begin real work."

Mack looks around and then lowers his voice. "Fitz mentioned you were looking to get into the tech room earlier. I know Coulson's supposed to be the one to give you clearance, but I figure I can let you in for a little while."

Daisy's eyes widen. She doesn't believe this at all. "You're kidding."

"Nope. Not at all." Mack motions for her to follow him. "I think you've earned it. Besides, if you are going to be a member of our team, I want you to know what's going on and how to use our assets. One day our lives might depend upon it."

"Thank you so much. I don't know how I can ever repay you for this." Her fingers are already twitching at the thought of the work she can get done.

"Just keep up the good work." Mack unlocks the room with his ID. "I'll be back in an hour. Have fun."

Daisy practically runs in, her hands automatically touching a keyboard and flitting over the keys. Excitement fills every cell in her body.

No more sorting through old files. She can easily access information on the gangs now, plus more.

But she only has one hour.

She begins to work, her mind focused on only one task.

-

Robbie feels the effects of Daisy's absence almost immediately. His brother has been back for two days and they've had nothing to eat but microwave dinners and instant pasta. Goodbye, home-cooked meals.

The house is also too quiet. Even when they weren't talking business, Daisy always had something to say or she was blasting horrible music out of her laptop. The quiet is deafening.

Gabe looks up from his tray of instant mac and cheese and some mystery meat. "What's wrong, Robbie?" he asks.

Robbie shakes his head. "I'm just thinking."

"About what?"

"About how quiet it is here."

Gabe looks at him strangely. "You never used to mind. And this is the first time you haven't been here alone."

Robbie shrugs, hoping to play it off. He knows he slipped up, and his brother is clever. Too clever, sometimes. "How was your trip?"

"It was cool. We got to see a bunch of monuments and museums. There wasn't a lot of free time, though, and I have a stack of homework to catch up on."

"You miss your girlfriend?" Robbie teases.

Gabe rolls his eyes. For a moment Robbie is reminded of Daisy. Maybe she and his brother are the same person in spirit. Too smart for their own good and sassy as can be. "There is an invention called a cell phone, you know. We can still keep in contact, even miles apart. You should check it out sometime."

Robbie smacks him lightly, and Gabe smirks. "But I did notice that you didn't."

"Didn't what?"

"Miss your girlfriend."

Robbie frowns. "I don't have one."

Gabe crosses his arms, his face turning serious. "You're treating me like I'm a kid. I'm not stupid. You can tell me the truth."

"I am. I don't have a girlfriend." Obviously Gabe is on to something, but maybe Robbie can talk him out of it.

"The guest room bed has been slept in. There are actual leftovers in the fridge. Speaking of which, the fridge has been stocked recently, which I highly doubt you did, since you have never remembered to do that before on your own. The shower smells like...I don't know, floral scents or whatever girls use. You're complaining about the quiet, too, which means there was obviously someone here in my absence, and they were louder than me." Gabe glares at him. "You still gonna deny it?"

Robbie doesn't take the bait. "I don't have a girlfriend," he replies calmly.

Gabe throws his hands up. "Okay, fine, she wasn't your girlfriend. I'm not judging."

Now Robbie looks up. "Really?"

"I said I'm not judging!"

"For one, I know you. You are definitely judging. For two, you couldn't be wrong. I can't believe you would think so low of me."

"What am I supposed to think of you when you keep so many secrets?" Gabe asks, exasperated.

"I have to keep some," Robbie replies, wishing his brother would just let some things go.

"Then keep some, but at least tell me who she is."

Gabe isn't going to let this one go, Robbie knows. So he gives him something. "She's a friend. She needed a place to stay for a few days. That's it."

"Why have you never mentioned her to me before?"

"I don't have to tell you everything." Robbie stands, not wanting to continue on. "Is that it?"

"I will find out eventually, Robbie. You can't hide it from me forever!"

"Don't go searching for things you don't understand," he warns. "It will only bring you unwanted trouble."

"Having trouble would be worth knowing who you are anymore," Gabe cries. "It used to be us against the world. Now it's you against me."

Robbie turns at this, feeling anger flare up. "Don't you dare guilt me. Everything I do is for you. I dropped out of high school so I could feed you and afford to keep you in school. I'm working to keep a roof over our heads and food on our table. I could travel and just street race if it was just me, but I care enough to put aside my wants for your needs. So don't ever use that argument against me."

Gabe shakes his head. "I've never accused you of not caring. But you don't treat me like an equal. I'm not a scared little boy anymore. I can take care of myself."

"I don't doubt that you can. It doesn't mean you have to, though. If I can shoulder some of the burden for you, then I will."

"Maybe I don't want you to."

"For as smart as you are, you have learned nothing." If Gabe only knew what having a whole load to bear really meant. Robbie is wearing himself down to keep Gabe innocent to the hardships life can give. He doesn't worry his younger brother about financial things or legal issues or other things. He doesn't want Gabe to have to stress about that when he should be focusing on his school work.

Robbie leaves, this time for real. He drives Lucy out of the city, and to an area he remembers from his childhood. It's a lookout over an area of land yet untouched by civilization.

He sits on the hood of the Dodge, his anger cooling off. He loves his brother so much, but sometimes the kid just sets him off. That's the thing about people you care about - they know exactly how to hurt you the most.

Gabe is as smart as can be, but what he hasn't learned is that some things don't make sense. Some things in life aren't supposed to.

But the kid is still young. He has much to learn, but plenty of time to learn it. That's why Robbie can forgive him. He does love the kid, even if he pushes his buttons much too often.

Robbie heads back to the house. Gabe is in his room with the door shut. He knocks.

There's no answer. He knows his younger brother is just being resistant because he's upset. They share the same temper, after all.

"Hey, listen. I want to apologize for yelling at you earlier. I don't like lying to you. You know that."

There's no answer again, but Robbie expected that. He can only do so much on his own.

Now it's just up to Gabe if he'll forgive him.


	13. Ejections and Exclammations

Disclaimer: All rights belong to Disney, Marvel, and all the men and women that created the Agents of SHIELD TV shows, and comics. I take no credit, and I do not mean to break any copyright rules. This is simply a work of fiction made for enjoyment. No money is being made.

Rating: T for dark themes, graphic violence, mentions of torture, drug abuse, supernatural violence, major character death, and minor language

 

Chapter 13 - Ejections and Exclamations

Daisy bursts into Robbie's apartment, adrenaline flowing through her body. Now they have all the information they need to complete their mission. Soon she'll have her vengeance, and soon the world will be right again.

"Robbie! I got everything!"

There's no answer. Daisy sets her computer bag down on the table. The flash drive with all the information is still in her pocket.

"Robbie?"

There's the sound of wheels on tile, and a familiar looking boy wheels into the kitchen. Daisy's jaw drops. "Gabe?" she gasps, too surprised to process it for a moment. This is the boy who always visited Marina at the parts shop. Of course she remembers him. But -

His forehead crinkles when he sees her. "I know you," he says slowly. Then he shakes his head. "Well, that makes sense now."

"What are you doing here?" she asks.

"The better question is what you're doing here. I live here."

The pieces of the puzzle fit together in Daisy's mind suddenly. "You're Robbie's little brother!"

He nods, although the suspicious look never leaves his face. "Why are you looking for him?"

"I have something to tell him." She sits down at the kitchen table. "But I'll wait until he gets back."

"You can leave a message with me," Gabe offers. "He might be home late."

"That's okay. I'll wait." Daisy pulls out her phone. "I need to tell him in person. It's important."

"What is it?"

She looks up, the corners of her lips curving up in a smile. This kid really is sharp. He doesn't miss a beat. And he's curious as can be, too.

"That's between me and Robbie."

"Is that the only thing between you guys?" Gabe wheels himself over to the sink and pours himself a glass of water. Daisy watches him suspiciously for a minute.

"There are many...things between us, none of which concern you unless Robbie wishes to share."

Gabe stares her down for a long minute, then shrugs and abruptly changes the subject. "Can I borrow your computer for a few minutes?"

Daisy frowns, not sure what's up with the kid, but then she slides it out of her bag and hands it to him. "Have fun."

Gabe turns it on and focuses on something for a good ten minutes. His fingers fly over the keys in a familiar way.

"You good with computers?" Daisy asks after a few minutes of near silence.

The kid looks up. "Decent. I'm better with other things."

"Like what? Do you fix cars like Robbie?" He at least knows the parts of the engine, as she recalls from her days working at the mechanic supply shop.

Gabe shakes his head. "I only help out when he needs me to do a supply run. I prefer sciences and psychology."

"I work with people who are really into those fields. Some of the best in the world, I think. I'm not academically inclined towards that, though."

"No, you aren't." Gabe's eyes widen as he reads something on the screen. "You're a computer hacker."

"Yeah." Daisy tilts her head. "How'd you know?"

"For one, you dress pretty sketchily. For two, you carry a computer around with you at all times - I mean, how much more obvious can you get?"

She narrows her eyes at him. "You're more perceptive than I thought. Although that's generalizing."

"Those were only my suspicions." Gabe closes the laptop and hands it back to her. "But I just hacked into your laptop and found out everything else I needed to know."

Daisy instinctively grabs her laptop and shoves it back in her bag. "Really? You asked to borrow it, and this is what I get for being nice?"

Gabe shrugs. "I had assumed a skilled hacker like you would have installed security of some sort. There was like one firewall I had to get through. Any person with basic computer knowledge could get through that."

"I don't normally share my laptop, unless it's with people I trust," she snaps back. "I'm taking you off the list, by the way."

"Why was I on it in the first place? You barely know me. Is it because of Robbie? You trust him, don't you?"

She stands up, tired of his crap. "I'm going to wait in the living room, if you don't mind."

Gabe blocks her path with his chair. "I know everything about you, Daisy. But that isn't even your real name, is it?"

"It's the name my parents gave to me. That makes it real enough."

"You didn't always live with your parents, though. Everyone thought you were an orphan growing up. You went through several foster families. Your legal name is Mary Sue Poots. An unfortunate name. I'm actually glad you changed it. You ran away from your foster families when you were a teen, and you went by the name Skye for several years, until your real parents showed up again and officially adopted you back. You've only been Daisy for about five years now."

"So? What does that have to do with anything?" This kid is really getting on her nerves now. No wonder Robbie doesn't tell him everything, although it's a wonder Gabe doesn't figure everything out on his own.

"You worked with an organization called the Rising Tide when you a runaway. You helped hack into big corporations and even some smaller government servers to get them information. The Rising Tide is an organization put together to spread misinformation and to start riots and civil unrest."

Daisy crosses her arms. "What do you want, Gabe? Do you want me to build a time machine and just fly back and fix my messed up childhood?"

He shakes his head. "What I want is much simpler. You see, Daisy, Robbie doesn't really take care of me. I'm the one who keeps him together. Without me, he'd be just as much of a mess as you."

She tries really hard not to react to that blow. The kid continues. "Sometimes I have to make decisions for him. I have to keep him from heading down a wrong path. I have to protect him. If you had siblings, you would know what I mean."

"How do you propose to protect him this time?" she demands.

"I'm going to eliminate the bad people from his life, starting with you."

Daisy is taken aback. "Woah. Wait a minute. I am not a bad person. Maybe I've made some poor decisions, but that doesn't make me a bad person."

"Take it as you will. But you are a bad influence in his life. He's been keeping more secrets from me since you showed up. Whatever he's in, it's bad. So I need you to leave right now, and never come back."

"Or what? You can't just make me leave."

Gabe is the one who sighs in exasperation now. "Yes, I can! Did you forget that I just hacked your laptop? I know almost everything about you. Do you want Robbie to know all of what I read?"

"He doesn't need to know anything I haven't already told him."

"I'll bet you haven't told him half of what I know. And if you don't leave right now, I'm going to tell him everything."

Daisy can't believe this. Who is he to bribe her like that? To blackmail her? And how was she so stupid to fall into this trap?

"Fine. But I might just let Robbie now what a treacherous brother he has." She scoops up her bag and her phone.

"He won't believe you," Gabe calls out as she exits the house, the door slamming behind her.

Deep down, she knows he's right. Robbie won't believe her over Gabe. She's just someone who helps him get revenge. Gabe is his brother, his only remaining family member.

She will have to finish her mission on her own. At least she now has all the information she needs to take down both Fifth Street and Segundo Cielo. She doesn't need Robbie anymore.

Daisy decides to take a detour to the warehouse where she and Robbie had invaded a few nights ago. She never heard what happened after she passed out from the drug use.

The docks are quiet. Too quiet. She pushes her bad feelings away and steps out of her car, her hand on a knife in her pocket. The warehouse still has a few charred timbers standing, but mostly it's a bed of ashes. Police caution tape is spread out everywhere.

She ducks under the yellow and black ribbons and walks through the ashes, using the toe of her boot to sift through. Everything burned, apparently. The bodies must have already been taken to the coroner.

There's a sound, and Daisy turns around, her eyes wide and searching, but there's nothing. She continues her fruitless search, and a few seconds later she hears another sound. Once again she can't see anything, but it's enough to spook her. She turns and heads back towards her car.

She has her hand on the door handle when she's grabbed roughly from behind and slammed into the car window. Her head hits hard, she can't help the cry of pain. She struggles to kick out, but her head is spinning and disoriented. The attacker slams her head into the window of the car a few times more until she can't fight back.

As she's dragged away, she sees a blurry figure searching through her car. What do these people want? And who are they?

Everything fades to black and her questions remain unanswered.

-

Gabe is awfully quiet that night. Robbie had come in late from helping a friend who'd been stranded an hour away, and Gabe had already eaten. Or at least proclaimed to have. The kitchen doesn't smell like anything's been made recently, and there are no dishes by the sink.

"You need to eat," Robbie insists, sitting in the armchair by the couch that Gabe is lying on. The TV is on, and Gabe reaches for the remote and turns the volume up.

Why is he acting so weird?

Robbie stands in front of the TV, blocking his brother's view. "What's up with you?"

"I'm trying to watch TV," Gabe complains.

"And I'm trying to have a conversation with you." Robbie turns and shuts off the TV. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Not anymore, at least."

Robbie sighs and takes a deep breath to keep his cool. "What was wrong?" he rephrases.

"Your friend came over this afternoon." Gabe pulls himself up into a sitting position.

"My friend?"

"Yeah. The girl. The one that stayed over while I was gone. She's really pretty, you know."

Robbie exhales sharply. Daisy wouldn't have come in person if she didn't have something important to say. And on the day that he isn't here, she comes over. "What did she want?"

"She wanted to tell you something. I offered to leave a message, but apparently it's not something I'm allowed to hear." Robbie can hear the cynicism in his voice.

"I don't ask you about every single conversation you have with your friends. Why are you so curious about mine?"

"When your friends are gang members." Gabe is the one who stubbornly crosses his arms now. "Now I know why you didn't want me to know about her. And now I know what you are keeping secret."

"I am not in a gang!" Robbie starts pacing. "You assume too much. She's not in a gang, either. She works for the government."

"Her mother is in a gang. Was, I should say, until she died. I connected the information, too. The newspaper said the man twisted the gun in the woman's hand to shoot her, and as she fell she pushed him into the side of the table to that he hit his head and died. And who was there to witness all of that? Your friend Daisy Johnson. Did she tell you all of that?"

"She didn't kill them, if that's what you're trying to get at," Robbie snaps. "And yes, we talked about it. I thought she was part of a gang, too, but she proved me wrong. She just needed some help with some things, Gabe. Or do you promote ditching your friends when they need you?"

"How long have you and Daisy been friends?"

"About a week. But that doesn't mean it's right for me to just let her struggle alone." Robbie stops pacing and glares at his brother. "You remember the accident? Everyone ditched us and you know how bad it was. Imagine trying to go through that again but without even me. That's where she's at right now."

"You're still lying." Gabe shakes his head. "After everything I've uncovered, you still have the nerve to lie. You've known her months! That's why you also sent me to the parts shop where she worked, even though it's farther away than other places."

Daisy used to work at a parts shop? Gabe knew her before Robbie ever met her?

"I didn't know she used to work at a parts shop, okay? I met her a week ago. Her car broke down and she lives an hour away. She has no friends or family. I always order parts from that shop because the owner is an old friend of Tío."

Gabe falls silent. It's good that he gets a lesson in humility sometimes. His head gets big with all his smarts.

"So what happened to her?" Robbie asks. "Where did she go?"

"I may have...asked her to leave." Gabe looks sheepish, and for good reason.

"¡Maldito sea!" Robbie curses. He turns to his brother. "You...asked her to leave?" His voice is dangerously calm, and Gabe knows all too well to stop being mistrustful.

"Okay, I may have blackmailed her a bit. She left all angry."

"I wonder why," Robbie says snarkily. "Dios, I can't believe you, Gabe. Do you think I can't handle myself?"

"Don't blame me!" the boy exclaims, the temporary calm gone. "You're the one who kept keeping all the secrets. What was I supposed to do? Sit back and let you ruin your life? What kind of brother would I be then?"

"I thought you trusted me!" Robbie stalks out of the living room. "Stay here and try not to get into anymore trouble."

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to find her. She came here to tell me something important, so I'm going go and listen. And also apologize for your behavior."

Robbie slams the door behind him, hoping Gabe knows how angry he actually is. Who does that kid think he is, trying to manage Robbie's life? And after all Robbie has done for him.

Lucy fires up and as he sits there Robbie realizes he doesn't know where she lives or what she does in her free time. He barely knows anything about her, except that she is intent on vengeance.

He'll just have to wait for her come back.

Instead of heading back in the house, though, Robbie drives around. He can't admit to his little brother that maybe the kid had a point in saying that Robbie barely knows her. At least this way he can make something up.

His travels take him by the docks. He drives over by the warehouse that he and Daisy had busted in on the other night. Hopefully it will take the gang some time to find a new spot before they start selling their superdrugs again. The people who take it probably don't know what they're getting into. They're just addicts, desperate for more of the one thing that takes the reality away from life. The easiest people to take advantage of, and the gangs do it without mercy.

There's a familiar-looking car parked by the ashes of the warehouse. Robbie recognizes it distinctly, but from where?

No one seems to be around, so he gets out of his car and shines a flashlight around, trying to figure out who it belongs to.

It's the jacket in the backseat that gives it away. This is Daisy's car. She has to be near.

Where is she?

Robbie shines his flashlight around, but he doesn't get any clues. There's something dark smeared across the window to the driver's seat, and he shines his flashlight on it.

It's a rusty red color. Robbie has seen enough crime scenes to know exactly what that it.

He shines his flashlight on the ground now, looking for any more clues. There's a few more drops of red in various spots, all in a line towards a pair of rubber marks.

Someone's taken her.

But who?

It all clicks into place in his head, then. Daisy had been snooping around at SHIELD for information on the gangs. She must have found something important, and she had come to tell Robbie. Gabe had sent her away, then, and somehow she ended up here. Whoever knew about the gang business going on in this warehouse the night of the bust had been hanging out here, just waiting for the guilty one to come back and inspect their work. They had been looking for him, and they'd got her instead.

Robbie drives home as quickly as he can. When he bursts through the front door, Gabe is waiting.

"I'm sor - "

"No time. Daisy's been kidnapped by one of the local gangs."

Gabe's jaw drops.

"You want to help me with something? Find her. Or figure out a way to locate her. You're good with computers."

"What will they do to her?" Gabe finally manages to ask.

Robbie feels his stomach drop. "I don't want to find out, so let's get her out of there as fast as we can."


	14. Screams and Searches

Disclaimer: All rights belong to Disney, Marvel, and all the men and women that created the Agents of SHIELD TV shows, and comics. I take no credit, and I do not mean to break any copyright rules. This is simply a work of fiction made for enjoyment. No money is being made.

Rating: T for dark themes, graphic violence, mentions of torture, drug abuse, supernatural violence, major character death, and minor language

Author's Note: A lot of people have been asking when Daisy will get her powers, so I want to clarify: this is a real-life AU. I kept the whole "devil" thing because it works with people who are religious and believe that type of thing really exists, but there is also a scientific explanation that I will provide later in the story. I'm not saying Daisy will never get powers, but if she does get them, they'll be technologically, not genetically, based.

 

Chapter 14 - Screams and Searches

Daisy wakes up in a dimly lit room. She's seated on a chair, her arms tied behind the back of it and her legs tied to the chair legs. There's no gag in her mouth, though. She tries to move, and finds she's bound around her torso, too.

Her head throbs, and one of her eyes blinks slowly, hindered by a sticky substance she guesses is blood.

A door opens behind her, and heavy boots hit the ground as the person walks around to face in front of her. It's a well-dressed, middle aged man. Two guys with tattoos and street clothes follow behind him.

"I did not think the legendary Ghost Rider would turn out to be a girl," the sharply attired man states. "No matter. With you off the streets, we can actually get work done."

Daisy doesn't deny his claim. Instead she asks, "Who are you?"

The man smiles wanly. "Not so bright as the fires you set, I see. It doesn't matter who I am, but rather what I represent."

She hates him immediately. His big words just go over her head and he knows it.

"All of us here represent a common struggle of trying to rise from the bottom of the city's streets to being educated and able to afford an adequate standard of living. The wealthy in the city do not care for our struggle, so sometimes we must take...unlawful steps towards our goals."

"You don't look like you're doing too bad yourself," Daisy mumbles.

"Appearances aren't everything." He glances at her distastefully. "But you have not learned that lesson yet, I see. Do not worry; you will, soon enough." He turns to the gang members at his sides. "You know your orders."

He stalks out of the room, and only the two gangsters are left. Daisy watches them as they set a small box on a wooden table and look at something on it.

"At least you didn't get my iconic car," she says tauntingly. "That must burn you."

One of the guys turns around. "Oh, shut up. We know you're not the Ghost Rider."

"Your friend seems to think differently."

The guy lumbers over to her. "He's easily manipulated. He only had to be personally convinced you're the Ghost Rider. We'll catch the real one soon enough."

"And how do you expect to do that?" Daisy scoffs. "He's burning through all your other little friends. Quite literally."

By now she's narrowed her attackers down to two possible groups: you guessed it, Fifth Street Locos or Segundo Cielo. Both have a reason to want to catch the Ghost Rider, and both are deeply embedded in the streets of the city.

Now she just has to figure out which one is this.

"We picked you up for a reason, and not just because of your pretty face." The guy slaps her cheek lightly. "We've seen you around town lately. At night. With the Ghost Rider."

"He's not going to come for me," Daisy tells them. "He won't just take your stupid bait."

"You might be surprised. And even if you're so convinced he won't come for you, I'd keep that to yourself."

"Why?"

"Because if you have no use to us, then why are we keeping you alive?"

"Why did you lie about my identity to that man?" she returns, ignoring their last question.

"He's connected to our boss. Our orders were to get the Ghost Rider. So we told him we caught the vigilante so that we'd get our pay. Once we catch the real one, which we will, we'll get paid even more."

Daisy frowns. "I don't think that's how it works."

"Even if we don't get paid more, we do have you." The second guy turns, a syringe with a familiar drug in his hand. "Since you're not the real Ghost Rider, we can do whatever we want with you."

"Our boss has been distributing this drug around lately. Every time we've tried to observe the effects, we've been busted up by the Ghost Rider. Now we have the perfect test subject."

Fear thrums through Daisy's brain. She remembers how that drug was the first time she'd had it, how awful the world was and how sick she'd felt for days afterward. And then hearing Jemma's analysis of it…

"Don't worry, we won't torture you physically. At least not very much." The gangster grinned at her with a mouth of half-rotted teeth. "We're mostly interested in what it does to a person psychologically. If we can influence everyone's perceptions, we could take over the city without much of a fight."

"But we're content with simple research for now," the other one finishes, and then Daisy feels the sting of the needle in her neck. "Just relax and try not to pass out."

The world begins to warp around Daisy. The ropes binding her start to slither across her skin like a snake. No, it is a snake. She hates snakes.

She twists and tugs but she can't move. The snakes keep sliding across her skin. Her heart pounds in terror.

The floor beneath her opens up and bugs of all sorts spread out around her. She shifts and tries to scooch away, but they keep climbing, up her legs and into her clothes and towards her face.

She can barely breathe with the horror that's choking her airways. The ceiling is slowly lowering, threatening to crush her. A scream tears itself from her lips.

Then she hears the laughing. The cruel, sadistic laughing. She can't see the men who are the cause of it, she can only see shadowing figures. But she knows they're demons. Who else would laugh at such pain?

It sends chills down her spine and the bugs climb up her neck and into her mouth and ears and the snakes dig their fangs into her skin and the ceiling crushes her, and the laughing echoes throughout her mind, and now she can't even hear her own screams.

They do it again, and again, and again. She gets at most an hour after she wakes up from the panic and the hysteria to recover before they inject her again. She's lost count at this point. She doesn't know when it's day or when it's night anymore. She doesn't remember ever getting food, but even if she had some, she wouldn't be able to eat. Her stomach is too empty and unsettled from all the terrifying things she sees every time that cursed drug enters her system.

She can't really remember what's real and what's not real after a few days - if she's even been here a few days, she doesn't know, she can only guess - but she thinks they're giving her bigger and bigger doses.

But maybe she's just hallucinating that. Maybe she's hallucinating everything. Maybe there was never a drug in the first place.

That's the worst part about this whole situation. Not the exhaustion from dealing with all the horrors, not the dryness and scratchiness of her throat from screaming, not her wrists, which are rubbed raw from pulling at the rope, and not the soreness in her neck from repeat injections - no, the worst part is not being able to tell reality from the hallucinations.

-

"It's been a week, Robbie. Let's face it - you're probably too late." Gabe sets a hand on Robbie's arm. "Please stop killing yourself over this."

"So I should just give up? Why would they kidnap her just to kill her? No, if they killed her, they would have already dumped her body."

"We don't even know who 'they' is!"

It's true. As much as Robbie hates to admit it, Gabe is right. They're nowhere closer to finding Daisy than they had been a week ago.

Robbie had gone out every night since she had gone missing, but to no avail. None of the criminals knew what he was talking about.

And it really was killing him. He needed to find her. This was all his fault. He should have never let her into this. Now it's too late. Every minute that goes by lowers the chances of finding her alive.

"I'm not going to stop until she's found. I owe it to her."

"Why can't you just let the cops take care of it? That's what they're here for."

"And the cops in this city have been doing such a great job the past few years?" Robbie shakes his head. "Daisy has no one left. I'm probably the only one who knows she's missing."

Gabe clears his throat. "About that."

"What?"

"Daisy isn't exactly as alone as she lets on to be."

"What do you mean?" Robbie steps closer to his brother. "What aren't you telling me, Gabe?"

"Well...I hacked into her laptop while she was waiting for you and…"

"And what?"

"She has a boyfriend. They've been dating for two years now. His name is Lincoln."

There's something about that name that sounds familiar, but Robbie doesn't know from where.

"You sure?"

"Yeah. The last photo was dated three weeks ago from today, which would be about one week from when you met her."

She lied about not having anyone? But why? Why would she not tell him the truth?

"You sure they didn't break up?"

Gabe shrugs. "If they did, she was still really into him. There were hundreds of photos on her computer. Sorry, man."

The truth leaves a nasty feeling behind, but Robbie pushes it away. It doesn't matter that she lied about something as small as that. What matters is that he finds her before he has to track down that Lincoln guy and tell him that his girlfriend died.

"I'm going to retrace some steps."

"You've already done that," Gabe says quietly.

"I know! But what else am I supposed to do?" Robbie sighs. "And don't say 'nothing'."

Robbie heads out to the car and drives out to the docks, the last place she was before she disappeared. He'd driven her car back to his place and searched, but there was nothing to hint at her whereabouts or at who took her. Robbie knows it was either Fifth Street or Segundo Cielo, but unless he can find out where they have their headquarters, that information does nothing to help.

The ashes of the warehouse have been scattered by the wind and packed down by rain, and the police tape has all but been destroyed. The blood drops on the cement have long since washed out. It's like everything went to hell years ago, not a week.

Robbie sits on his hood and breathes deeply. Maybe his brother is right. He's been searching nonstop for a week. He's not going to get anything more out of places he's already searched, and if the dozen criminals he's interrogated haven't heard a thing, then what are the odds that he'll find someone who does know?

He's wearing himself thin on this search. He's barely slept in the last week, and he hasn't opened up shop, either.

There's nothing Robbie hates more than giving up on something, especially when it means so much to him, but he can't keep going on like this forever. If the gang wanted a ransom or to use her as bait, they would have made it more obvious where they were keeping her.

Robbie reluctantly heads back to his apartment, his heart heavy.

Gabe leaps up, his face full of excitement when Robbie steps in. "I have an idea!"

A small bit of hope flutters inside the mechanic. "What is it?"

"If she has her cell phone on her, we can track it." Gabe opens up his laptop. "I just need you to call it."

Robbie pulls his phone out and opens up his contact list. "You ready?"

"Yeah."

She, of course, didn't pick up, but Gabe worked at trying to locate the signal.

After four rings, someone picked. A guy. And he sounds gruff.

"Put it on speaker!" Gabe whisper-yells, but Robbie doesn't.

"I was wondering when you'd call, Ghost Rider," the man says. Robbie doesn't answer. "I understand if you don't want to talk to me. We do have your partner,after all. I'd hurry, if I were you. I'm not sure how much longer she'll last. We almost didn't think you'd call at all."

There's a long pause. "If you're still listening, note this. Come to the abandoned lot on Jackson street. We'll be waiting."

The guy hangs up. Gabe stares at Robbie. "Who was it?"

Robbie shakes his head. "It was just noise," he lies.

"I couldn't get the location." Gabe sighs and shuts his laptop. "I'm sorry."

Robbie shrugs on his coat. "I'm going for a ride. I might be home late. Don't stay up for me."

Robbie sprints to his car and starts it, accelerating quickly and speeding through the streets. He can't get what that man said out of his head.

I'm not sure how much longer she'll last.

Robbie takes a deep breath. Whatever they've done to her - are doing to her - he'll avenge.

There's no stopping the Ghost Rider tonight. They may think they have a perfect trap set up, that they have all the advantages, but the fury of the devil will not be stopped.

All of them will die.


	15. Hallucinations and Home

Disclaimer: All rights belong to Disney, Marvel, and all the men and women that created the Agents of SHIELD TV shows, and comics. I take no credit, and I do not mean to break any copyright rules. This is simply a work of fiction made for enjoyment. No money is being made.

Rating: T for dark themes, graphic violence, mentions of torture, drug abuse, supernatural violence, major character death, and minor language

Author's Note: You're really going to like me after this chapter. You can thank me in the reviews section after your fangirling attack is over. (Just kidding. About the reviews box, not about being forever indebted to me for this chapter.)

 

Chapter 15: Hallucinations and Home

Daisy's head finally stops spinning when the men enter the room again. She thinks she's in a reality moment, but she's not sure.

The two men are the same ones who always attend to her. They have ever-present notebooks that they write down their observations in. It's sick the way they're studying her, as if she's some brainless lab rat.

But there must be some humanity left in them. Even if it's just a thread.

"Please don't," she begs, her voice hoarse. She's surprised it still works at all. Her throat scratches like crazy and it's drier than the Sahara desert. "Please."

The men exchange glances, and one steps up to her. "How are you feeling right now?" he asks. For a moment, she gets a spark of hope. Maybe they'll let her take a break. Surely they won't keep this going until she dies.

"I'm exhausted," she whispers in response. "I have a migraine, I think. My eyes can barely stay open."

"Interesting." The second man sets down the syringes he was toying with.

"We'll give you...an extra hour," the first man says. "Since you have been oh-so cooperative with us."

Daisy is sure she's in a hallucination now, but she manages a thanks, her relief overflowing. It doesn't matter that it's only an hour; what matters is that she is getting a brief reprieve from the torture.

As the two men start to leave, there's a screaming sound from down the hall. The two men rush towards it, leaving Daisy all alone.

This must be a new type of hallucination, she decides. The walls aren't closing in on her and the world isn't twisting, but the men gave her a break and she can hear screaming?

There are also loud thuds. Daisy takes deep breaths, trying to steady herself. She's getting better at controlling her heartbeat. She can't remember a time when it wasn't constantly thudding in her chest. Maybe her parasympathetic system is broken. Maybe that's why she can't calm down.

The yelling comes closer. It's just outside the door. She hears the doors slam open and she automatically cringes, expecting to soon feel the needle slide into her neck again. They were lying. They aren't giving her a break.

But it isn't a gang member who steps in front of her this time. It's a familiar face. A welcome face.

"Robbie," she whispers, now entirely sure she's still in a hallucination. Not because she didn't believe he would come for her, but because she doesn't see how he could have found her.

He kneels down and starts sawing at her bonds with a knife. "When you're free, we're gonna have to make a run for it. I'll go first. But you have to follow closely."

"I can't." Even if none of this is real, she's still going to run with it.

He looks up, his eyes catching hers. "Why not?"

"I haven't moved in a week." It feels shameful to admit it, but it's the truth. Her muscles haven't moved except for her vocal chords and her face.

He thinks for a moment. "I'll clear out the hallway and you work on stretching as much as you can. Then we'll figure something out."

There's a rattling behind them. The door won't hold much longer. Robbie cuts through the last of her bindings and she slowly moves her arms to rest in her lap. Her shoulders scream with the movement, and her hands tremble.

Robbie offers a hand and she takes it. He pulls her up to a standing position, but her legs are like jello and can't support her weight. Daisy stumbles forward.

He catches her, then supports for another minute. "Hold onto the chair for support. I have to clear out the hallway." He breezes past her, picking up his flaming chain off the floor in the process.

Daisy glances over and sees her computer bag on the table. She takes a deep breath and steels herself, then throws herself forward. She manages to stumble to the table and grab a hold of it, somehow staying on her feet.

She slings the back over her shoulder, hearing the sounds of fighting not far away. It's dying out, though. Robbie is almost finished with them.

She is about to turn when she sees the syringes full of the superdrug on the table. There are a dozen of them lying side by side in a protective case. She doesn't know why, but she grabs the case and slips it into her computer bag.

She hears the crackling of flames and then sees Robbie returning. "Let's go." He uses on arm to support her and holds his chain in his other hand.

As she limps out of the room, she notices fire burning everything behind them. Hopefully this isn't another hallucination. Hopefully this is real. Because if she wakes up tied to that chair again, she won't make it to see another sunrise. She'd rather die than be back there.

His car is parked the exit, which isn't far away. Daisy senses freedom, and her legs recall some of their old strength. The stiffness is starting to fade as she warms up her joints again.

Sitting in the car, driving away, Daisy finally lets herself close her eyes for a moment.

"Please tell me this is real," she says quietly, her heart pausing in fear of what the answer might be.

Robbie looks over at her, obviously concerned. "This is real."

Her heart starts pounding again, but this time it's not in fear. This time it's in excitement.

"I'm free," she whispers. "It's over."

But a part of her disagrees. No, she chides herself. This is just the beginning.

-

Robbie helps Daisy up the stairs to the apartment. She's walking better than before, but it's still not good.

Just watching her try makes him seethe with anger. What were they doing to her? She seems so out of it, as if she's been in another world for the past week. And the fact that she hasn't moved in the same time...

He just has to remind himself that he did all he could. He managed to get her out alive. And none of those other criminals are still breathing. They're all dead now. They paid for their crimes.

But it isn't enough. It never is. Revenge doesn't make him feel better. It only amplifies the pain.

What he wants right now is for her to unlive whatever torture they put her through.

But did he really try all that he could? Gabe isn't an amazing hacker, he's more of a recreational one who can do mediocre work, and tracking from a cell phone is hard, but why didn't Robbie try it earlier? Why didn't he think of calling it?

Or maybe he could have gone to the police. Anything to prevent what happened.

He failed her. It's that plain and simple. And she probably hates him for it.

She sits at the kitchen table, her arms outstretched on the table in front of him. Her hands are trembling, and her wrists are bleeding. It's hard to see in the dark, but he had noticed the bright lights hurt her eyes, so he left them off.

He sits across from her with the first aid kit and wraps her injured skin. Every flinch from her sparks up his anger more. The skin is rubbed completely raw for more than an inch around. What kind of sickos just let that happen?

When he finishes the bandages, he notices she just stares at the table too, her eyes glassy. He wonders what she is thinking right now. Deep down, he knows she's reliving that hell over and over again. He did the same thing after the accident that brought him to this point in his life in the first place. And, maybe, she's dealing with her anger at him.

Only one way to tell.

Robbie lightly takes her hands in his. She looks up, and he notices her eyes are rimmed in red and bloodshot.

"What did they do to you?" he asks quietly.

She opens her mouth, but nothing comes out. For a long while they sit in silence, her just thinking. He waits patiently. He'll wait as long as it takes her.

"That drug from the bust earlier," she finally says, her voice raspy. "The hallucinogen. They kept injecting me with it. Over and over again. I couldn't tell the difference between reality and the illusions."

So that's why she had asked him if it was real back in the car. She had thought she was having another hallucination.

"Are you okay?" he asks. It's a stupid question. Of course she's not okay. She was just tortured for a week. An eternity that he sat by and did nothing useful during.

But she gets what he's really asking. "All the hallucinations were of terrifying things. It- I think I'm okay now."

"You are safe," he promises.

She simply nods. Her hands tighten around his, and he knows she doesn't blame him for taking so long, at least not right now. He knows it's just going to take time for her to really feel safe again. Recovery always takes time. It took him months after the accident, and even now he's still not quite over it.

"Do you know who it was?" he asks after a moment. He doesn't want to interrogate her, but it is important information. And the sooner she talks about it, the sooner she can forget.

"Not really. There was a well-dressed man, and two of the gang members seemed like scientists. That's all I know."

Robbie internally sighs. They're back a square one again. He's beginning to worry that they've stumbled into something much bigger than a few gangs.

"I'm sorry it took me so long to find you," he says quietly. "I tried, but not hard enough, apparently."

She shakes her head slightly. "I know you tried." She swallows and looks away. "How long was I gone, anyway?"

"A week." Robbie still can't believe it took him that long to find her. And all it would have taken was a simple phone call...

He's so stupid sometimes. And usually that's okay, but in times when someone is in trouble, it isn't acceptable at all. He never used to make so big of mistakes, either.

Maybe he's getting soft.

"Do you need anything?" he asks, feeling guilty for not doing so earlier. He wonders if she's eaten anything in a week. Even in the dark he can tell she's paler than normal, and the trembling of her hands could be attributed to a lack of energy caused by a lack of nutrients.

"Just some water, please." As he moves to get her the drink, she lays her head in her arms. She must be exhausted. He's being rude, keeping her up.

"Here." He sets a glass next to her. "I'll go get the guest room setup for you again."

She nods, and he heads to the small room to pull back the covers and to pile on some blankets. As he heads back, he passes Gabe's room as notices the light is still on. He pushes the door open and peers in.

Gabe is reading a book, but he turns when he sees Robbie. "I couldn't sleep," he defends himself. "I was going to go to sleep when you came back, but then I heard her, too. I wanted to make sure everything was okay."

Robbie nods. "She's okay. Physically, at least. It's a good thing she was rescued when she was, though. I don't think she would have lasted another day or two."

"It's that bad?" Gabe puts his book down and rubs his forehead. "I feel so awful. If I hadn't sent her away then none of this would have happened."

Robbie doesn't argue with him, although he tends to think it's more of his own fault. "All that matters is that she's safe now. She's going to stay here for the night, maybe longer. However long she needs to." He stares at Gabe. "We're going to be considerate and polite."

The kid inclines his head. "Of course. Like I said, I feel awful." He pauses. "But what about that Lincoln guy? Wouldn't he want to know about her condition and whereabouts?"

Robbie shrugs. "She hasn't mentioned anyone else, and I'm not going to ask tonight. She's been through a tough time. I'm just going to let her rest."

He starts to head back to the kitchen, but Gabe stops him before he can leave the room. "Who rescued her? And how did you find her?"

Robbie turns slowly, the story already forming in his head. He hates lying to his brother, but he has to. "The Ghost Rider did. I was driving around when I saw the flames, so I headed over to see what was happening. He pulled her out of the building and then I brought her back."

He shuts the door behind him, knowing that his brother doesn't the buy the story but not wanting to argue with him now. He has a bigger priority.

Daisy is standing by the sink, the glass of water empty in it. He watches her touch the tips of her fingers lightly to a spot on her temple obscured by her hair. She frowns.

"What's wrong?" he asks.

"My head hurts, but I can't remember what happened to it," she says, her forehead creasing as if extremely bothered. Robbie steps up next to her.

"Hold your hair back," he instructs, and as she moves it back, he sees the dried up mess of blood. There's a lot of it. He doesn't know how he missed it earlier.

"Is it bad?" she asks anxiously. He reaches back and grabs the first aid kit, pulling out some of the wipes.

"I can't see past the blood, if that's any indication," he replies, gently wiping away the sticky substance. He's more concerned about her memory gap than the injury, though. "Are you sure you don't remember?"

"I remember lots of things. Whether they're real or not is the problem." Daisy sighs and leans against the counter.

When Robbie finally gets the area cleared, the wound itself isn't too bad. The area is just a bit swollen and there's some scrapes. He tapes them up.

"Thanks," Daisy says. He makes to step back, but she grabs his hands. "Robbie."

"What?"

Her dark brown eyes look troubled as she stares at him. There's a sort of desperation in them. It's a look he's never seen before.

"Is this real?" She takes a shaky breath. "I need to know. I can't wake up to a nightmare again, not when my dreams are so hopeful."

"This is real," he assures her, hating that the words are not strong enough to prove to her that her ordeal is over.

"Sometimes the hallucinations weren't scary. I always got hopeful that it was finally over. But in the end, it was all swept away and I just fell harder." She shakes her head. "I can't survive another fall."

Robbie isn't the kind of person to do unexpected things, but for once in his life, he does. Without really thinking about it, he leans forward and kisses her.

She doesn't push him away. It's a slow kiss, like embers in the fireplace being lightly fanned, and it holds a lot of meanings.

When they pull away, Daisy smiles faintly. "I never really doubted you would come for me," she tells him quietly. "It was the only real truth I managed to hold onto."

But Robbie isn't worried about that. He's only thinking of that Lincoln guy his brother mentioned.

What isn't Daisy telling him?


	16. Friends and Fires

Disclaimer: All rights belong to Disney, Marvel, and all the men and women that created the Agents of SHIELD TV shows, and comics. I take no credit, and I do not mean to break any copyright rules. This is simply a work of fiction made for enjoyment. No money is being made.

Rating: T for dark themes, graphic violence, mentions of torture, drug abuse, supernatural violence, major character death, and minor language

Author's Note: Thank you for your kind comments and your continuing interest in this story! It means the world to me

 

Chapter 16: Friends and Fires

It's late in the afternoon when Daisy wakes up. Her body is still sore and aching, but she isn't going to complain. Anything is better than what she had went through.

She starts with a long, hot shower. After a week of not bathing, she's pretty sure she smells absolutely gross and her hair is atrocious. Besides, there's nothing like a hot shower to loosen up your muscles and make you feel like a new person.

She changes the bandages on her wrists and grabs a bite of toast before taking her computer bag and booting up the systems. A week is a long time to be gone, and she needs something to do to keep her mind off the past.

A black container slides out with her laptop, and her stomach drops when she remembers what's inside. She quickly shoves it back to the bottom of the bag. Out of sight, out of mind.

Her email is flooded, but none of it's important except for some messages from SHIELD. Coulson is worried, and rightfully so. She's had access to confidential information, so of course he'd be worried if she went rogue.

Daisy replies to them, letting him know the basics of the situation but not the details. She isn't sure he'll believe her, but she'll go in tomorrow and go through any necessary security protocol.

With that done, she stands up and drifts to the window, looking down at the crew working on cars below. She watches Robbie for a few minutes, unable to look away.

She remembers last night all too well. In fact, she can't stop thinking about last night. She knows it's stupid, like some lovesick teenager, but no matter how hard she tries, she can't get it out of her mind.

Part of her is angry about it. Lincoln just died not a month ago and already she's moving on. Did she ever even love him? How can she betray him like this?

But another part of her says that it's all a mistake. She's lonely and lost, and she thinks she likes Robbie just because he's the first human she's had contact with since the tragedy. The phase will pass and she'll realize how silly she was.

But she can't shake the feeling that she actually does like him. Why? She isn't sure. He's the exact opposite of Lincoln in almost every single way. Lincoln was sweet and cliche, while Robbie is a realist. Lincoln wore flannels and smiled all the time and made friends with everyone while Robbie wears leather jackets and worn jeans and keeps to himself. Lincoln was the guy your parents would approve of while Robbie is the type your parents would probably shun based on appearances alone. Lincoln was a doctor while Robbie is a mechanic.

When did she start comparing the two? Daisy shakes herself out of her thoughts. She's just confused. That drug has messed up her mind. What happened with Robbie happened, but it won't happen again. It's not his style. He was just trying to help her. Now that she's better, it'll be like it never happened in the first place.

And yet...she's glad it happened. Just thinking about it makes her heart pick up in speed a little. Gah, she's like her high school self again.

She efels like Mary Jane from those old Toby Maguire Spider-Man movies. Who the hell falls in love with someone who's just rescued them from a bad place once or twice? It must be something about vigilantes that just makes grown women melt in a puddle.

Daisy sighs and sits back down at the table. Life just isn't going to give her a break.

She hears a sound and when she looks up she's surprised to see Gabe wheeling in. "Don't you have school?" she asks. Her throat still scratches a little, but it feels much better than last night.

He gives her a weird look. "Not on Saturday," he replies, heading towards the fridge. He stops suddenly, one hand on the door handle. "Listen, Daisy, I'm really sorry for what I said. It was out of place. And I shouldn't have hacked into your laptop."

Maybe Gabe isn't so bad as she had initially thought. "It's okay. You were just trying to look out for your older brother. I get it."

He nods, obviously relieved. "I'm just not used to...sharing him. He doesn't have a lot of friends, and none of them as close as you."

It makes sense. Robbie seems like the type of guy to distance himself from others. Unfortunately with her, he didn't have much of a choice. She kinda pushed her way in.

"And what about you, Gabe?" she asks.

He looks at her oddly. "I will do anything to protect my brother. However, I have recently learned that sometimes I am wrong. But I'm not going to stop protecting him because of one mistake."

"You still don't trust me," she realizes. Maybe the kid tolerates her, but he doesn't trust her. He's still going to keep an eye on her.

"I don't think you're a bad person, Daisy. But it doesn't take a bad person to do bad things. And I know you're still keeping something from Robbie and I."

"Everyone has secrets, Gabe," she reminds him as he starts to wheel away. "Even you."

He turns his head. "Just don't break his heart, okay? He's fragile enough as it is."

Fragile is not a word Daisy would describe Robbie with, but she suspects Gabe knows something she doesn't. Yes, she may have not told them everything about her, but the Reyes boys haven't told her everything about them, either.

It's an interesting system they have. Secrets and mistruths exist, yet they must all trust each other to a point in order to survive. Like it or not, Daisy has entered into their daily lives and she's not about to leave. Not until her work is done, at least.

And maybe not even then.

A memory of her and Robbie last night flashes in her mind. She's grown fond of him, and to be perfectly honest, she likes their night adventures, even if she ends up injured.

And what has Gabe meant when he said to not break his brother's heart? He wasn't up when Daisy had been brought back by Robbie, so he couldn't have seen them. Maybe he's just worried she's one of those girls that hop from guy to guy, leaving broken hearts in her wake.

If anything, though, it's the opposite. She's always the one that ends up with a broken heart in all her relationships.

Then it's a good thing this isn't that kind of relationship, she reminds herself.

-

Robbie doesn't expect Daisy to be awake when he gets up, but he's surprised to see Gabe already in the kitchen. Robbie passes him and pours himself a cup of black coffee without a word.

"The Ghost Rider is in the news again," Gabe declares. "He's been pretty active lately."

"Good for him," Robbie replies casually. Gabe can make all the subtle hints he wants, but Robbie isn't going to just fess up. He and Gabe inherited the same stubbornness.

"How bad did her injuries turn out?" Gabe asks.

"Her wrists are rubbed raw from rope and her head was smashed against something pretty hard, but other than those and some assorted cuts and bruises she's okay. She should be mostly healed up in a week."

"And mentally?"

Now that's the tricky one. "They injected her with some kind of hallucinogen repeatedly. It messed with her head a lot. That might take some time to sort out."

Gabe frowns. "Injected? You don't inject hallucinogens. Usually you inhale them."

Robbie shrugs. "You can see the purple bruise on her neck for yourself. I'm not a drug expert."

Gabe is quiet for a few long moments. When he speaks again, he's completely serious. "Listen, man, I never got around to apologizing to you. I'm sorry about not trusting your choice in friends. I didn't think my actions to protect you would end up endangering someone else." He pauses for another long moment. "And I didn't know she meant so much to you."

Robbie looks over at him. "How much did you see last night?"

"Enough." Gabe is avoiding his eye contact.

"I wasn't lying when I told you she wasn't my girlfriend. We were just friends." Robbie shakes his head. "We are just friends."

"Weird boundaries of 'friends' you have these days," Gabe murmurs. "Just be careful, Robbie. We still don't know anything about that Lincoln guy. Maybe he'll come back one day and want his property back."

Robbie doesn't like his brother's word choice. In fact, it angers him a little. "If there's one thing I've learned about her, it's that she's no one's property."

Gabe nonchalantly shrugs. "Love changes people. It makes them do things they would have never normally done. It makes people be more tolerant to things than they should be."

"What are you really trying to say, Gabe?"

His brother just dismisses the comment. "Like I said: be careful."

At work, Robbie can't help but listen in on all of Nacho's conversations to try and find a connection to the kidnapping. Francisco inadvertently helps him out by bringing up the subject. "¿Oíste del fuego anoche?"

"Sí," Manuel replies. "En el calle Jackson,¿correcto?"

So Manuel and Francisco had heard about the incident, but what of Nacho? The man seems gloomy today, and not as energetic as usual. Maybe it has something to do with it.

"¿Estás bien, Nacho?" Robbie asks. "Me pareces enfermo."

The man shrugs. "I just had a rough night." Nacho glances around the lot, and his eyes settle on a car parked next to Lucy. He narrows his eyes at it. "Who's car is that?"

Robbie looks at the man, an uneasy feeling growing in his stomach. "It belongs to my friend. Why?"

The guy shakes his head. "It just looks familiar."

Robbie knows he's lying, and the devil inside him presses forward. He suppresses it temporarily, but he knows he can't keep doing this. Nacho is hiding something important, and Robbie suspects it has to do with the kidnapping.

And although Nacho is his friend, he may have had a hand in hurting Daisy. Robbie can't let that slide. That's where he draws the line.

The two guys resume working on the engine in front of them, but Robbie can't get it out of his head that one of his own workers was involved in the incident.

And worse yet, Robbie had known that Nacho is involved in Segundo Cielo. The man had admitted it to them all a few weeks ago. If only he had pushed aside his reservations and questioned him earlier…

Maybe Daisy wouldn't have been hurt in the first place.

Looking back, there are so many different ways Robbie could have prevented the whole incident. He had been so stupid. He'd messed up big.

He won't again.

Francisco nudges him and Robbie snaps out of his thoughts. "She's still hanging around you, huh?"

Robbie sees Daisy carefully making her way down the steps. When she looks up and sees him she smiles a little and continues on her way over to them.

Robbie glances over at Nacho and notices the man watching with alarm. The man recognizes her, and not just from the other time she was here. Somehow he had been involved in the kidnapping.

Daisy crosses her arms and observes the car they're working on for a minute. "Working hard," she remarks dryly.

Robbie steps away from his crew and towards her. "What are you doing out here?" he questions.

She shoves her hand into a pocket and pulls out a slip of a folded up paper. "Gabe made up a grocery list for the week. He said to give it to you."

"And he couldn't bring it out himself?" Robbie takes it and puts it in his own pocket and lowers his voice so only she can hear. "You're supposed to be resting and recovering."

She shrugs, avoiding his eyes. "I was feeling restless. I was crammed in a room for a week, that's the last place I want to be right now. The fresh air is good."

He notices she's constantly twitching; either her feet are moving or she's drumming her fingers against her arm.

"Just don't overdo it," he cautions. He debates to himself to tell her about Nacho, but he decides not to. That's something he'll take care of himself.

"I won't go anywhere," she promises. "I'll just sit out here."

He's glad she's going to stay where he can keep an eye on her. Until they figure out exactly who wanted her taken and have disposed of the problem, he doesn't want her leaving his sight.

She walks a few feet away to sit on the hood of his Dodge and then pulls out her phone. Robbie turns back to his work, hoping nothing happens.

"You guys serious?" Nacho asks, his voice more subdued than usual. It's almost as if he feels guilty.

He should be.

"Yeah," Robbie says. He means to make something up to keep the guy talking, but he suddenly realizes he isn't sure what his and Daisy's relationship is. They've known each other for such a short time, yet they've been through a whole life's worth of events in that short time. Maybe they don't know basic details about each other, but he knows how she looks when she's angry and how she fights, and he knows when he's about to get her trademark look. He knows some of her habits and her nervous ticks.

He knows so much about her and yet he knows nothing.

The other guys lean in, suddenly interested. "I can't believe this," Francisco says, shaking his head. "Our boy's growing up."

Robbie rolls his eyes at the guy's dramatics. "It's still me," he replies, reaching around them for some spare screws.

"¿Y cómo se siente tu hermano?" Manuel asks. How does your brother feel about it?

Robbie shrugs. "They tolerate each other."

"Just tolerate?" Francisco whistles lowly. "That's no bueno, Robbie."

The clock in the garage chimes for noon, and the crew gets ready to go on their lunch break. Robbie catches Nacho's eye. "Can you stay a few minutes later?" he asks the man.

"Sure." Nacho follows Robbie as the latter leads him to the old parts garage. This part of the shop isn't used often, and it's full of rusted parts that are too old to be saved. The lights don't work, and the place is only illuminated by light shining in through the broken windows and cracks in the wood. "Uh, Robbie? What's all this about?"

The man seems so skittish. Robbie almost feels bad. This guy is too weak to be in a gang. He just got in way over head.

Unfortunately, he still has to pay the price for his mistakes.

"You know Daisy," Robbie states, turning so that Nacho will have to go through him in order to exit.

"Yeah, she walked past us the other day, remember?" Nacho's eyes flick around nervously.

"No. Not that. You know her from somewhere else." Robbie leans forward, and he feels the devil take part control of him. "The car. You knew her car."

"Please don't hurt me," Nacho begs.

Robbie's voice isn't his own anymore. The words aren't his, either. His already feeble control slips. "You were one of the ones who kidnapped her!"

"Yes!" Nacho stumbles back, trying to escape the intensity of the situation. It's too late for that now. "I didn't know she was your girl, though! At least I didn't think you guys were serious. It was just an assignment. I did what I had to!"

"Segundo Cielo was behind the attack, wasn't it?"

"I don't know!" Nacho's voice trembles. "I only get orders from one person. That person works for Fifth Street Locos."

What? The shock hits even the devil, and he's temporarily driven from Robbie's head. "I thought you worked for Segundo Cielo, not Fifth Street."

"Both gangs are connected. I don't know how, but they are." Nacho continues shaking. "That's all I know."

"You don't know why she was kidnapped in the first place?"

"Bait for the Ghost Rider, I think." The guy shakes his head quickly. "They set up a trap, but it failed and she escaped. Everyone at the location died. They underestimated him. Ellos fuimos estúpidos. He is el diablo." Nacho continues on, muttering in half English, half Spanish.

"Do you know what the Ghost Rider specializes in?" Robbie asks, staring the man down.

"N - no," Nacho stutters.

"He gets vengeance. And he never fails. Do you want to meet him?"

"No, please!" Nacho covers his face. "Por favor, no! No quiero morir!"

"Ahora es demasiado tarde," Robbie says, and he lets the devil take over.


	17. Withdrawal and Withheld

Disclaimer: All rights belong to Disney, Marvel, and all the men and women that created the Agents of SHIELD TV shows, and comics. I take no credit, and I do not mean to break any copyright rules. This is simply a work of fiction made for enjoyment. No money is being made.

Rating: T for dark themes, graphic violence, mentions of torture, drug abuse, supernatural violence, major character death, and minor language

 

Chapter 17: Withdrawal and Withheld

Daisy feels well enough to go into work the following Monday. She isn't going to actually work - at least she doesn't plan to - but she figures she should report to Coulson and let him know all the details of what happened.

She had just kind of disappeared, after all.

Robbie insists on her taking the Dodge, though she's not sure why. It makes no sense to take his car when hers is fine, but she isn't going to fight him. Not after all he's done for already.

When she pulls into the SHIELD garage - a well hidden place, mind you - next to Coulson's red Chevy Corvette, Lola, Mack comes up. She steps out, ready to accept a hug or a handshake or whatever he's going to welcome her with, but he just blows right past her to examine the car.

"She's a real beauty," he compliments, running his hands lightly over the hood and the grille. He keeps talking, going on about torque and a bunch of other car terms she doesn't understand. Finally he looks up at her. "This is a well-kept car. Someone's put a lot of money into it."

"Thanks?" she offers, not really sure what to say.

"Where'd you get it? I would kill for a car this nice." He sighs longingly after it, and then his gaze flickers to Lola. "Don't they look beautiful together?"

"Uh, it's my...friend's car," she replies, not really sure how to describe Robbie. Is he her friend? Or something more? Perhaps something less? They're allies at the least, but Mack would get suspicious if she used that particular term.

"Your friend must really like you if she lets you borrow such a beauty," he replies.

"It's a he, actually. And you could say we're close."

Mack looks at her, one eyebrow raised. "If he lets you drive this thing around, he likes you. Trust me."

Daisy is sure there's another reason Robbie let her borrow her car, but she doesn't argue. "It's nice to be back," she says, glancing around. "I missed this place." Although, to be fair, she missed any place that wasn't that small, cramped room.

Mack turns serious. "It's nice that you're back, Daisy. I've heard some rumors on where you went, but nothing's certain." He leans in and lowers his voice. "Fitz and Simmons missed you a lot, and I think even May was worried."

"May was worried?" Daisy raises her eyebrows. "That makes me feel really appreciated."

Mack smiles and claps her friendly on the back. "Just don't tell her I said anything."

Mack takes her to Coulson's office. Coulson looks relieved when he sees her. "I'm glad you're okay," he says, shaking her hand. "I read your email and was worried."

May and Coulson sit with Daisy in the office as she recounts the story of her kidnapping. She leaves out Robbie's name and only mentions him as "a friend."

" - and then I was rescued. As I stumbled out of the burning building, I called my friend and stayed at their house for the night."

"Who rescued you?" May asks. Of course she noticed that Daisy avoided that mention.

"Uh...it was…" Daisy sighs, not wanting to admit the truth, but knowing she has to. "It was the Ghost Rider."

"The vigilante that keeps popping up?" Coulson glances at May. "We'll need to keep an eye out for him."

"But he saved me," Daisy protests. "He's a good guy."

"He kills people, Daisy," May replies. "We need to at least bring him in and question him."

"And who is going to protect the streets while you keep him locked up?" She looks between the two of them, but they are unmoving. "All I know is that I would be dead if it wasn't for him. And there are dozens of other citizens who owe their lives to him, too. I don't think it's fair of you to punish him for making a difference."

"You seem awfully defensive of him," May observes. Man, she doesn't miss a beat.

"He did save my life, if I haven't mentioned that already." Daisy sighs and slumps in her chair. "It's been a long week."

Coulson's gaze softens. "I'm sorry about what happened to you, Daisy. Do you have any idea of why they kidnapped you?"

"Do they know you work for SHIELD?" May inquires.

Daisy shakes her head. "They said they captured me as bait to lure in the Ghost Rider. I was just at the wrong place at the wrong time."

Coulson nods. "Okay. I'll need you to write a full statement later, just for records, but I believe Simmons has been wanting to talk to you. She's in the lab."

May walks with Daisy down the hallways. Just before the lab doors, the older agent stops her. "We don't have to continue your training until you're physically and mentally healed."

Daisy nods. "I think I'm going to take some time off before I officially come back. I'm still not feeling good."

In fact, if Daisy's being honest, she's getting worse. This morning when she woke up she was hungry, so she ate, but there was still an emptiness in her stomach. She's eaten more than normal but it's still there. And she can't stop moving; she's constantly on high alert, her fingers drumming or her leg bouncing or her feet tapping. And a slow headache has been plaguing her.

May nods. "Take all the time you need."

Daisy heads into the lab. Fitz and Simmons greet her with enthusiastic and relieved smiles. Jemma even hugs her.

But after the pleasantries are over, Simmons pulls her aside and turns serious. "While you were gone, I finished my analysis of that drug."

At the mention of the drug, Daisy's heart races. "Yeah?"

Simmons shakes her head. "It's like nothing I've ever seen before." She pulls out a tablet and powers it up. "I was a little suspicious at first when you came in with it, because hallucinogens are usually snorted or smoked. But an injected one? That was new. It makes sense why it started working so fast, though; injecting into your bloodstream causes the chemicals to get to your brain faster."

"Did you figure out what is in it?"

Simmons nods. "That's the scary part," she admits. "The basic hallucinogen is PCP, which is one of the only addictive hallucinogens. However, it was mixed with another substance, one I am unable to identify. It's almost like a new substance that someone invented. None of my databases could locate it, either. You're dealing with some seriously advanced science."

Why would street gangs have people that intelligent working for them? Then Daisy remembers the well-dressed man from when she was kidnapped. Something big is going on. She and Robbie are only scratching the surface.

"The unknown substance works as a catalyst to raise dopamine levels significantly, which is why the hallucinations are so powerful." Jemma sees her confused face. "Dopamine is the neurotransmitter associated with schizophrenia."

Great. "So it's being made by geniuses who plan to have everyone run around with a distorted sense of the world?"

"Whoever is distributing it probably plans to get people hooked on it, since it's so addictive, then make tons of money." Jemma lays a hand on her shoulder. "Don't get mixed up in all this, Daisy. If you see this around, call the cops. And if it gets too out of hand, we as a team will step in."

Daisy nods. "Thanks for the information, Simmons. I'll be careful."

-

Robbie is trying to connect everything he's learned. Nothing is making sense. Fifth Street and Segundo Cielo are connected? How? There must be someone between them, a mastermind at the center of it all.

But if what Nacho had said was true, then they keep security tight. The members are on a need-to-know-basis.

What exactly are they planning? Obviously Segundo Cielo is involved in smuggling, but why would they ever team up with Fifth Street - a street gang who basically exists just to commit hit-and-run attacks? What could those two groups possibly have in common?

Whatever it is, they don't like him snooping around. And they have no idea how to stop him. The failed trap they set for him proves that. But he has no doubt they won't stop trying.

So far, he's proven to be superior to all his opponents. But all it will take is one well-aimed bullet to finish him off. He's just one against many. With the stakes raising, he's not sure he wants to keep going. What will happen to Gabe if he dies?

Not that he has a choice in the matter. He made an oath, and he can't break it. And if even if he could, he has to see at least this through to make sure Daisy doesn't get hurt again.

Speaking of Daisy…

The door opens and she walks in, dropping her bag on the kitchen table.

"How was it?"

"Well, one of my co-workers was more excited to see your car than me, but otherwise I'd say it went well." She smiles a bit. "I'm going to take some time off, though. I don't feel very well."

She had been feeling fine earlier, though. Robbie frowns. "What's wrong?"

"I'm not sure. It isn't my head - at least I don't so. I just feel like I'm super jacked up on caffeine and I'm always hungry."

Robbie has never heard of those symptoms before. Maybe it is her head. Or maybe she's just really tired.

"You should get some rest. I'll take care of dinner tonight."

She raises an eyebrow. "More microwave dinners?"

Although part of him wants to argue with that assumption, he knows it's true. "I'll order pizza."

"Much healthier," she says sarcastically. "But thanks."

She starts to head back to her room and then turns. "Hey, what happened to that one guy that used to work with you? There used to be three guys, now there's only two."

Robbie is afraid that if he tells her the truth she will think badly of him, so he lies. "He found a better job."

"That's too bad," she replies. "They were all so nice."

If only she knew what Nacho had done to her. Sometimes lies are important to protect people, Robbie reminds himself, but he still hates doing it.

He's silent for too long. She notices. "Is there something wrong, Robbie?"

He shakes his head. "No. I'm just a little tired."

He can tell she doesn't believe him, but she accepts it and continues on. They all have their own secrets, still. One day the lid is going to break open and everything will come out, but today is not that day.

And that's probably for the best.


	18. Temptations and Trials

Disclaimer: All rights belong to Disney, Marvel, and all the men and women that created the Agents of SHIELD TV shows, and comics. I take no credit, and I do not mean to break any copyright rules. This is simply a work of fiction made for enjoyment. No money is being made.

Rating: T for dark themes, graphic violence, mentions of torture, drug abuse, supernatural violence, major character death, and minor language

 

Chapter 18: Temptation and Trials

Daisy paces back and forth in the guest bedroom, her heart racing wildly and her brain running a mile a minute.

Something is desperately wrong with her, but she doesn't know what.

Her forehead is burning up. She has a splitting migraine. Her stomach is insatiably hungry - she tried to eat a huge breakfast, but it barely made a dent in her hunger. In fact, it just made her more sick.

Her heart won't stop racing. For no reason at all. She's tried meditating and just laying down, but nothing is working. Her mouth is as dry as the desert even though she's drank over a half gallon of water in just the last hour. Her fingers and toes are tingling, even though the blood flow is more than sufficient. Every little sound either outside or inside makes her whirl around, her eyes wide and searching.

There's nothing bad here, but she feels so paranoid.

What's wrong with her?

Tears sting in her eyes, and she doesn't know why.

This is all so frustrating. Daisy finally sits down, but her fingers can't stop drumming on her thigh. She takes a deep breath, but her heartbeat is still erratic.

The lights hurt her eyes, so she has them turned off and the shades closed all the way. Her headache still pounds in her head at full-force despite the four aspirins she's taken in the last hour.

What's happening?

She pulls out her computer and googles her symptoms, but nothing comes out of it. There are hundreds of diseases and disorders and other medical conditions she might possibly be suffering from, but none of them seem likely for her situation and lifestyle.

So what's wrong with her?

She lays back on the bed, exhausted of feeling this way and more than a little worried. She's always been a pretty healthy person, so being sick like this is and not having any idea of what's wrong with her is overwhelming. That feeling, combined with her symptoms, is killing her.

Something pokes into her side. Daisy sits up and digs around in the bottom of her bag to try and find what had been bothering her. Her hands grasp something plastic and hard, and she pulls it out.

It's the black case that holds the syringes of that superdrug she'd taken when Robbie had rescued her from the kidnappers. After all this time, it's still right here.

She slowly opens it, not sure why. The vials lay in neat rows on velvet-covered pads. Two are missing, but other than that the set is complete.

Her fingers twitch and lightly touch the glass syringes. She's not sure why she's so drawn to the drug that had ruined her life for a good week. The effects of it had been terrifying, and now she's cradling it in her hands as if it's her saving grace.

She picks up a syringe with trembling hands, a sudden thought occurring to her -

Maybe she feels sick because she's in withdrawal.

For a week straight she'd been injected with a highly addictive hallucinogen, and then suddenly she'd gone cold turkey for a few days. Of course she's feeling the effects now.

Daisy feels miserable, and the solution is in her hands. All she has to do is a little tiny injection and she's pain free…

No.

She drops the syringe on the bed and jumps away from it. No. She's not getting hooked on that stuff again. Not after what it's done to her before. The only way to recover from the addiction is to quit it.

She takes a deep breath and leaves the room, shutting the door definitely behind her. She feels worse as soon as the drug is out of sight, as if her body knows she's walking away from the solution. She almost turns back immediately, but her resolve is stronger.

Daisy shoves her hands in her pockets, keeping them away from temptation. Those kidnappers took a week of her life away from her; she's not going to let them take any more. Even out of reach they manage to get into her head and into her body.

She tries to snack on some crackers, but it just makes her feel like puking, so she shoves that idea away. What else can she do to distract herself?

She heads outside, deciding maybe some fresh air might do her good. Robbie and the two remaining guys are on break, so she heads over to him.

He frowns when she walks up. "You don't look so good," he says. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"No, not at all," she replies honestly. "I just need some fresh air, I think. I'm going to take a walk."

She can tell he doesn't like the idea of her walking around the city alone, especially in her current state, but he just sets his jaw. "Okay. If you think it will make you feel better. But be careful."

"I will." She sticks to the sidewalks, heading in towards the more populated areas of the city.

Being outside does take the edge off her pain, although she's still in extreme discomfort. She finds her mind lost in memories of this place. She passes the park where she used to take the kid she babysat, and she remembers catching the little guy at the bottom of slides and pushing him on the swings.

She walks by an old bar her roommate and her used to hit up while she was still staying at the college dorms. It still smells of stale beer and old woodwork, but it's a comforting scent.

The thing that hits her the most is a certain brick wall not far from a certain restaurant. The graffiti painted on has started to fade, but she can still recognize the black Dodge accelerating out of flames. The grinning skeleton in the front seat is the only inaccurate part of it. Daisy knows Robbie isn't like that. Maybe he just seems that way to those he exacts vengeance on.

The reason the wall strikes her so hard, though, is because it reminds her of the last night she and Lincoln were together and happy. They had gone out to dinner with her parents that night and she and Lincoln had left early to walk around the city at night.

Lincoln had always showed her the good in things, the brightness and beauty in the city. He was a doctor, saving life and spreading hope. He always made everyone feel welcome.

After his death, Daisy had seen the truth. She'd always known Lincoln to be an optimist, but she hadn't realized how much the both of the had been fooled.

It was only after meeting Robbie that Daisy realized the city isn't made of romantically dim lights to walk with your lover under. The city is a dark and dangerous place. People are murdered and beat up under those very same dim lights.

Robbie shows her the truth. It's not a pretty truth, either. He shows her the city's dark corners and blood washed alleys. He's a vigilante, set on killing those who have killed others and spreading fear to the criminals and gang bangers. He makes people feel safer in a twisted sort of way.

There she goes again, comparing the two. Why does she keep doing that? They're nothing alike. Lincoln was her boyfriend; Robbie is the ally she recruited to avenge him. Lincoln is in the past; Robbie is in the present.

And maybe the future, a quiet voice inside her whispers. You remember kissing him. You liked it.

I had just been kidnapped and held hostage for a week practically in isolation. Any human contact was welcome, she argues back. I'm not going to cheat on Lincoln.

Lincoln is dead, the voice snaps. You need to accept that. He isn't coming back. He's gone. And the girl who dated him is gone, too. You've become an entirely different person. Lincoln wouldn't love the person you are now.

It's true. So startling true that she stumbles back a few steps away from the wall in front of her. Lincoln would have never fallen for a girl who wears all black with heavy make-up and ever-existing anger. The girl who Lincoln loved died with him. She was a scared, delicate girl. A daisy, swaying in the light breeze.

Now she's anything but.

And Robbie helped make you that way, the voice reminds her.

But right now, Daisy doesn't want that. Right now, in the midst of her discomfort and her pain, in the middle of her internal crisis and the grief that still hangs around her all the time - all she wants is Lincoln.

The agony of his death had been initially upset by the death of her parents and her mother's betrayal, and for a while she had just drifted about in numbness. Anger had woken her up, but all that sorrow still laid hidden inside her mind.

Now it just spills out, and all she wants is the days before death entered her life and took everything. She wants Lincoln back. She wants him to gather her in his arms and tell her everything's going to be okay. And she would believe him. She always did.

Her eyes start stinging again, so she heads back to the mechanic's shop and the apartment above it, walking as quickly as she can.

She wants to see Lincoln, and she knows how she can do it.

-

When Daisy walks up again after her walk, her head is bowed and her hands are stuffed into her pockets. She looks upset. Robbie doesn't understand her at all, but he's starting to get seriously worried. He's been around her long enough to know that her recent behavior isn't normal.

He grabs her arm as she passes. She jerks to a stop, obviously not expecting to be stopped. When she makes eye contact with him her eyes sparkle, as if she's on the verge of tears.

"Daisy, what's wrong?" She opens her mouth, but he cuts her off. "I want the truth, not just some crap you're making up to try and trick me."

She glares at him, as if he's the root of all her problems. Her dark eyes really stand out against her pale skin. She really doesn't look healthy at all.

"I'm just going through some things, okay? I need to work them out."

She steps forward, but he doesn't lift his hand from her arm. This conversation isn't over yet. She's not getting away that easily this time.

"What's upsetting you?"

Daisy rolls her eyes. "Let's see, I got kidnapped and mentally abused for a week, before that my parents died, and before that - " She suddenly stops, then shakes her head. "Take your pick."

"What happened before your parents died?" Robbie gets the feeling that if she tells him that, it'll be the key to understanding her. Whatever happened is crucial to defining her.

"I don't want to talk about it." She looks away for a long moment, then takes a deep breath. When she looks at him again, her eyes are softer. "I'm just not ready to talk about it now."

"You don't trust me," he flatly states, a little disappointed and hurt. After all they've been through together, and she doesn't trust him. He saved her life, and she can't tell him some little story.

He removes his hand from her arm and sticks it in his own pocket.

"It's not that," she promises. This time she's the one who's reaching out to him. "It just...It still hurts too much."

He can tell she's telling the truth, and it lifts an immense weight off his chest. She does trust him.

But why does he care so much about her opinion of him?

"I'm sorry for pressing," he says. "You don't have to tell me anything."

Daisy presses her lips together. "I want to, I really do. Just not yet." Her forehead creases, and he can't help but notice how beautiful she is, even when sick and worried.

Immediately he forces himself to take the thought back. He and Daisy are friends at most. They're more allies than anything else. That's all they'll ever be. There's nothing more.

But that thought process doesn't explain his actions around her. It doesn't explain why he watches her so closely, or why he cares so much about her well being. It doesn't explain why he lets her drive his car, or sleep in his guest room, or let her work with him on his previously-secret night job. It doesn't explain why he dropped everything for a week straight to find her, or why he kissed her that night in the kitchen.

It just doesn't explain anything.


	19. Selfish and Secrets

Disclaimer: All rights belong to Disney, Marvel, and all the men and women that created the Agents of SHIELD TV shows, and comics. I take no credit, and I do not mean to break any copyright rules. This is simply a work of fiction made for enjoyment. No money is being made.

Rating: T for dark themes, graphic violence, mentions of torture, drug abuse, supernatural violence, major character death, and minor language

 

Chapter 19: Selfish and Secrets

Daisy locks the door from the inside. She shrugs off her coat and reaches for the syringe lying on the bed, her heart racing and her hands shaking. Finally she can end this non-stop discomfort and pain.

And finally she can see Lincoln again.

When she had been tied to that chair, her kidnappers had influenced her with fear before injecting her, and everything she saw in the hallucinations had terrified her. The first time she'd been injected, she'd been busy fighting alongside Robbie, and the illusions she saw were of him as the Ghost Rider. So, hypothetically, if she's thinking about Lincoln before she injects herself this time, she should see him.

It's low, she knows, but she can't help the grief that's suddenly plaguing her. Who wouldn't do anything they could to say a goodbye to the one that they loved?

The needle goes in straight, despite her trembling hands, and within a minute she starts to feel the effects. This drug really does work fast. For once, she's grateful for it.

She sits down on the bed, and as she touches the cotton sheets, she starts to fall through them. She lands in a different home on a couch, still surrounded by the blankets. She's leaning against something warm. A person.

With a start she sits up straight. The man looks down and smiles with his brilliant blue eyes and familiar features. "You okay, Daisy?"

Lincoln.

"Now I am," she replies, slightly breathless. She had been sure this plan wouldn't really work. It was more of a last attempt.

He frowns, though, apparently not happy with her answer. "You shouldn't be."

What? "Excuse me?"

"You know I don't approve of what you're doing." He fixes her with a rare stern gaze. It looks so foreign on his face.

She feels her heart sink. "I know. I'm sorry. When you died, the only thing that kept me going was the anger inside me. I had to get vengeance for you. It's my way of coping."

"That's not it, Daisy. I don't care how you cope, except when it gets this bad."

He must be talking about Robbie. Daisy ducks her head; she is more than guilty in this case. "I never meant to cheat on you, Lincoln. Really. What happened between Robbie and me was...it was a moment of weakness. He's just a friend, an ally. That's all he'll ever be. I promise."

Even as she says it, she's not sure she means it. Anything to make Lincoln stop looking at her with those disappointed eyes, though.

To her surprise, he just shakes his head. "I'm not upset about that, either. You should move on with your life. You can't hold onto me forever. What I am upset about is that poison running through your veins as this very moment."

The drug. He's mad that she's using the drug. "I took it so I could see you!" she cries. "And I was in so much pain. I needed it."

He shakes his head. "You don't need any drugs, Daisy. You're strong enough to go without. And if you don't want to take my advice as your boyfriend, then take it as a doctor: that drug is going to destroy you. And it'll work faster and worse than anything you've ever heard of."

"You're wrong about me, Lincoln." Daisy swallows hard. "I always pretended I was strong, but in the end all I am is a delicate little daisy, blowing about in the wind. I'm trying to avenge you, but I only get hurt in the process. And I can't stand up to the temptation this drug brings."

"You've lost so much faith in yourself." Lincoln sighs. "It doesn't matter. You can't hide your addiction to it forever. Robbie is going to find out. He'll make you stop."

"You don't want me to see you anymore," Daisy protests.

"I'm not even Lincoln! At least not really." When he sees her confused look, he throws up his hands in exasperation. "You know I'm just the Lincoln your mind is creating. Yes, you know me well enough that everything I'm saying and doing are things the real Lincoln would say and do, but I'm just a memory. And you know well enough that Lincoln would strongly disapprove your actions right now."

She knows what he's saying is the truth, but she doesn't have to accept it. "Lincoln's dead. But this way I can still see him, even if it's not in a good way."

He shakes his head. "You're just making things worse. How can you move on if you're actively seeking out the past?"

"Maybe I don't want to move on." Defiance flashes through her, lighting her veins on fire. "I had everything once. Why would I move on from that?"

"Because this isn't living! You're destroying your mind and body by taking this drug. You're slowly killing yourself!"

"Good. I'll see Lincoln for real then."

"No, not good!" Lincoln exhales sharply. "I - he - wouldn't want that for you. He put himself in front of you so that you wouldn't die, and you're just wasting that opportunity because you don't want to accept the life you've been given. You have the opportunity to do so much good and you don't even want it. It's so selfish."

Hearing that word come from Lincoln's mouth is like a punch to her stomach. She staggers back a bit, her heart free falling.

It's not fair of him to accuse her of such things. She lost everything - Lincoln, her parents, her state of mind - and he expects her to just pick herself up and continue on?

"I have nothing to live for," she argues, "and you have the balls to call me selfish? You were the lucky one. I'm the one who has to live without you."

He looks at her with pity. "You have so much, and you can't even see it."

"Like what?"

"A great job doing what you love, great people at that job who do care for you, despite what you may think, and you have Robbie."

At the mention of his name her heart beats faster. She pushes that thought away.

"But I want you, Lincoln."

"Life doesn't always work this way." He looks around for a minute, then focuses on her with an intense gaze. "We don't have much time. The drug is wearing off. Here's the deal: stop taking. Please. It's not worth you damaging yourself. Continue on with your life and make the most of it. I'm gone, so let me go."

"You can't make me," she whispers.

He looks at her with a displeased expression, but he's already starting to fade away.

Daisy isn't interested in listening to his advice; she's already thinking about what she'll say to him the next time she sees him.

-

When Robbie enters the apartment the first thing he notices is that Daisy's door is shut. He's still worried about her, and this doesn't help.

He knows she doesn't like hospitals, but if she doesn't get better soon he's going to insist on a visit. She can't just keep going if there's something seriously wrong with her.

Especially so soon after being kidnapped and held hostage for a week.

He hears Daisy's voice faintly, as if she's talking to someone. He can't help but wonder who she's talking to. It's not his business, but he's still curious.

He decides to leave her alone and do something productive with his time. He starts cleaning up around the kitchen and living room, picking up all of his and Gabe's crap. As he takes one of Gabe's textbooks to his room, he passes the guest room. As he walks by, he hears Daisy say, "I want you, Lincoln."

Those words hit him hard, and after a momentary stop he finally moves on, his mind spinning a mile a minute.

So this Lincoln guy is still around, and obviously Daisy still loves him. For some reason that makes Robbie feel angry.

He's tired of not knowing what's going on. Daisy's going to tell him about Lincoln or she can find someone else to help her get vengeance.

By the time she emerges, he's calmed down some, but he still isn't pleased. He is happy, however, to see that she doesn't as tired or as pale as before. She isn't twitching uncontrollably, either. She must be getting better.

After a few moments it's apparent that she is upset over something.

"What's wrong?" he asks. She never answers that question when he asks it, but at least he tries.

This time is just like every other time. "Nothing."

He isn't going to let her get away with that, though. He wants a real answer. "Obviously something is wrong."

She shoots him a glare. "It's none of your business."

"Yes, it is. I care about you and how you feel, so it is my business." He fixes her with an equally hard look.

"Get used to disappointment," she mutters, turning away.

Robbie doesn't like being disappointed, though, and he has something up his sleeve this time. "It's about Lincoln, isn't it?"

She whips around at that name, fire practically flaring up in her eyes. For a moment he thinks she has the devil inside of her, too.

"That is none of your business," she seethes, her voice dangerous in a way he's never heard it before, proving that he has finally found something important.

"Why doesn't he want you?" Robbie asks. "I know you're hiding something from me."

"We all have our secrets. Stop sticking your head in mine."

"Some secrets shouldn't be kept, Daisy. You should know that." Robbie follows her as she heads back to her room.

She cuts him off at the doorway. "It's my decision if I want to tell you my secrets, not yours. Don't you dare try to guilt me into that."

She slams the door in his face, loud and definitive. Robbie sighs heavily and turns away.

He immediately runs into Gabe, who has a tiny smile on his face. "I like her," the boy declares. "She's the only person I've ever witnessed stand up to you."

"Go to hell," Robbie grumbles, pushing past him. It's no use; the boy just follows him into the kitchen.

"It's completely normal for people to not bend to your every will, you know," Gabe consoles him. "You could use a lesson in humility."

"It's not normal for her to be like that, though," Robbie argues. "She's an open person who thrives on human interaction. Now she's suddenly locking herself away, both literally and metaphorically."

Gabe lowers his voice. "People often have a breaking point, Robbie. Obviously Lincoln is hers. Whatever happened with him is still affecting her."

"She was talking to him today," Robbie admits, sitting down heavily. "I heard her through the door. She wants him back."

Gabe gives him a sympathetic look and pats his arm. "I'm sorry."

Robbie doesn't like pity, but right now he's feeling pretty low. It shouldn't bother him, but it does. So what that Daisy has another boyfriend? So what that she loves another man?

She and Robbie are just allies, friends at best.

But he can't look at her without thinking of that one kiss they shared.

"Don't take it too hard," Gabe advises. "Girls are all over the place when it comes to love."

Love? Who said anything about love?

"Maybe she'll move back in with Lincoln and we'll get the house back to ourselves. That's the bright side." But even as Robbie says it, it makes him even more unhappy. He's liked having her around. She makes for good company, and he tends to be more inspired to clean up after himself. And it's nice to share some of the burden of Ghost Rider.

But if she's unwilling to share her burdens, then she can't stay. Trust is a two-way street, and recently it's been pretty one-sided.

Gabe gives him a stern look, as if he knows how Robbie really feels. "Please don't tell me we'll have to go back to frozen microwave dinners," he begs. "Those are awful."

"Feel free to make dinner yourself," Robbie says. "I'll buy whatever you need."

Gabe groans. "I don't have time for that, and you know it."

"And I have more free time?" Robbie shakes his head. "Nice try, hermano." He ruffles the kid's hair. "Now go study or something, since you claim to be so busy."

Although he feels a little better after talking to his brother, Robbie still is upset over Daisy's lies. He is insistent on one thing: if she isn't going to divulge certain truths, she can move back to her home and fight Segundo Cielo on her own.

He's saved her life, but he can't do anything more. Not if she isn't willing to trust him.


	20. Lincoln and Leaving

Disclaimer: All rights belong to Disney, Marvel, and all the men and women that created the Agents of SHIELD TV shows, and comics. I take no credit, and I do not mean to break any copyright rules. This is simply a work of fiction made for enjoyment. No money is being made.

Rating: T for dark themes, graphic violence, mentions of torture, drug abuse, supernatural violence, major character death, and minor language

 

Chapter 20: Lincoln and Leaving

Lincoln isn't happy the second time she uses the drug to see him, and he makes sure she knows it.

"I can't believe you," he says, so upset that he's calm. "I just can't believe how intolerably stubborn you are."

"I'm just glad to see you again," she admits, a stupid smile on her face.

"No, you aren't. That's the drug working in you. It's an agonist to your endorphins."

"I love it when you talk in technical terms." Daisy watches him happily, not caring in the least bit that he's furious with her. At least he's here, and he's real, and he's hers. She'll keep coming back here forever if it means seeing him again.

"It means it's making you feel good, not me. You need to stop using it, Daisy. I'm dead serious." Dead serious? She holds back a giggle. He is dead, technically.

"And I'm dead serious about seeing you. Plus it makes the headaches go away when I take the drug. It's helping me, Lincoln, not hurting me."

He's a doctor. Why doesn't he understand?

"No, those are withdrawal symptoms." Lincoln sighs in frustration. "Now you're completely deluding yourself."

"Care to give me a full inspection, doc?" Daisy giggles a bit, not even noticing how rare a giggle is for her.

Lincoln crosses his arms irately. "I'm done talking to you. You obviously aren't listening to one bit of my advice. There's no point in me saying anything else."

Daisy rolls her eyes. He's so difficult sometimes. And he had the nerve to call her the stubborn one. "Okay. But you're being stupid."

He doesn't respond, and they sit in silence for the rest of the time.

 

Robbie is standing in the kitchen when she comes in, his arms crossed exactly like Lincoln's had been. He doesn't look happy. Daisy wonders what she did wrong this time.

She doesn't have to wonder for long. "Tell me what's going on with Lincoln," he demands.

"No." She copies his stance and glares right back at him. "I don't have to."

"And I don't have to take you on any more night missions," he replies. "It's your choice, really."

He's being so unreasonable right now. Daisy can't stand it when people get all bossy. She isn't his slave, she's his ally. But if he's going to be like this, then she isn't sure she wants to be that anymore.

/Why don't you just tell him the truth?/ a small part of her brain asks herself.

/He'll be mad. He'll take away the drugs,/ she reminds herself. /We can't see Lincoln then./

/Maybe that's for the best,/ it argues. /It's what both of them want./

/Traitor!/

/They just want to protect you. You're being unreasonable,/ it explains.

But Daisy's mind has been conquered by the poison in her brains. /We need it. We can't live right without it. They have no right to take what's ours./

"I'm not telling you anything," Daisy says. "That's my choice."

He hesitates, then speaks sternly. "I have to do some errands. I'll be back at noon. You better be gone by then."

"Excuse me?" Daisy is taken completely aback. "Are you kicking me out?"

"It's my house, and you aren't following my rules. You slammed my own door in my face, and you continue to keep secrets. I have no reason not to."

His frown doesn't break, and Daisy knows he's serious. It hurts, like she's been stabbed and salt water rubbed in the wounds, but she isn't budging on her stance, either.

"Fine. I'll be glad to leave. Maybe I can actually get somewhere on my vengeance mission."

Her tone is like acid, and she can see that it hurts him, but she doesn't feel bad.

"Just don't get in my way," he finally warns. "I can't guarantee what will happen."

He leaves, slamming the door behind him. She feels empty all of a sudden, and it's a chasm she isn't sure the drugs can fill.

But they fill other holes, ones even Robbie can't, so she turns her back and heads to the guest room to pack her things.

Tears sting in her eyes as she packs her shampoo and conditioner and toothbrush and her few extra pairs of clothes into a bag. She's been here for long she can't remember not living here.

All things have to come to an end, or at least that's what she tells herself as she shoulders her bags and starts to walk out.

One glance at the container of drugs is enough to cement her decision, but a tear still slips out when she drops her spare key to the apartment and her other key to the Dodge on the counter.

Endings are always hard. This one is somehow her hardest one to date, as if she's leaving a part of herself behind.

 

"Look what you've done now," Lincoln exclaims when she enters the hallucinated world.

"You're talking to me again," she points out, though there isn't as much satisfaction as she thought she would feel. She just feels empty, as if her heart is in an abyss even the drugs cannot reach.

"Only to inform you of the huge mistake you're making." Lincoln rubs his forehead with his fingertips in resignation. "Now you really have nothing. You can't go to work high on drugs, so you've lost that, and even Robbie kicked you out. Aren't you so proud of your ingenious plan now?"

Daisy's voice trembles when she speaks. "None of that matters. I still have you."

"Look at you. You're so pathetic right now." Lincoln shakes his head. "All of those things and people matter, and you know it. You're just prioritizing that drug over everything important. What a mess you've made."

"Stop saying hurtful things!" she yells. "You're created from my mind, right? Then I demand you be nice."

He laughs. He actually has the nerve to laugh. Anger flares up in her.

"It doesn't work like that, Daisy. I'm the last rational part of your mind. You know what this drug is doing to you, but you're ignoring it. I'm just relaying the truth. It's not my fault it's so ugly."

She has to fight off tears when she answers him. "You aren't Lincoln. He wouldn't say such horrible things. He was always kind and supportive!"

"You're right. I'm not Lincoln." Before her very eyes Lincoln shifts into her. A different version of her, one with bright eyes and a smug smile who saunters up close. "I'm you, Daisy. Lincoln is dead. It's just you and me. I tried to help you out by posing as him, but that failed. You won't listen to anyone."

"I don't need anyone," Daisy declares, clenching her shaking hands into fists.

"Just look at you. You obviously need help." The other Daisy just sits down and crosses her arms.

"What are you doing?" Real Daisy asks.

"Sitting and waiting."

"For what?"

"For the show to begin." She smirks up at Real Daisy. "Reality always holds the best kinds of drama."

For once, Daisy is glad when the hallucination ends. She can't stand herself. She hates herself.

Now she really has lost everything. Even Lincoln is gone. It's just herself.

Sitting in the large, empty house an hour away from the only people left in the world who care about her, Daisy finds herself filling up the space with sobs.

She would do anything to get her life and Robbie back, she realizes. Anything except giving up the drugs that she so desperately craves.

-

When Robbie returns from his errands, he still holds onto the hope that she has changed her mind and decided to stay.

He almost regrets his terms. Almost. But he meant them, and no matter how much it hurts him, he has to stick to them.

And it hurts him a lot. When he sees her spare keys on the table and the guest room clear, he let's out a frustrated yell and punches the wall.

Both his hand and the wall suffer, but he barely registers the pain. It's nothing compared to losing her.

He loathes the silence her absence brings. Gabe notices his foul mood as soon as he gets home, and he steers clear of his older brother. It just makes things worse.

At work the next day, he can't focus on anything. He's so spaced out that when Francisco asks him for a screwdriver he passes him a crowbar.

"¿Qué paso, Robbie?" the guy asks, laying a hand on his shoulder. "You've been so quiet today."

"Es nada," Robbie replies, using Daisy's go-to answer. No wonder she used it so much; it's a good way to avoid talking about touchy topics.

Francisco gives him a hard look. "You know you can tell me anything," he says. "I just want to know why you're upset."

Robbie sighs, then relents. "Daisy left yesterday."

Francisco's features soften. "Lo siento, man. That's tough."

"Yeah." Robbie feels the emptiness deepen. Time isn't going to make this any less painful. "It was so stupid, too."

"What happened?"

"I overheard her calling her ex. She still loved him. I asked her to tell me the whole story but she refused for some reason and decided to leave instead." Robbie turns away so Francisco can't see his face. "I bet she went back to him."

"I honestly don't know what to say," the other guy admits after a moment. "That's a terrible situation."

"She and Gabe were just starting to get along, too."

And it wasn't just that. Everything had been starting to fall in line when it all abruptly ended. Robbie still doesn't exactly know what happened to set Daisy off.

He should have followed Gabe's warnings, now that he looks back on it. He shouldn't have gotten involved with Daisy in the first place.

No. That isn't right, he realizes with clarity. He would rather go through this pain a thousand times than never have met Daisy. She changed so much in such a short time. She changed him.

"Maybe she's just going through a phase and she'll come back," Francisco suggests. "If she really loved you, she'll come around."

Robbie doesn't have the heart to break it to him that they were never really even a thing. She doesn't love him, and she never will.

But he thinks he may have started liking her.

A hopeless situation, of course. He always seems to be stuck in those. It's just his rotten luck. It's how he got stuck with the devil in the first place. Maybe it's a family thing. His parents never seemed to have good luck, either, when they were alive. He can only hope Gabe has a better outcome.

"We'll see," Robbie answers, but he has no hope. Why should anything good come to him? It's not like he deserves it.

Being cursed is his specialty, after all.


	21. Injections and Interjections

Disclaimer: All rights belong to Disney, Marvel, and all the men and women that created the Agents of SHIELD TV shows, and comics. I take no credit, and I do not mean to break any copyright rules. This is simply a work of fiction made for enjoyment. No money is being made.

Rating: T for dark themes, graphic violence, mentions of torture, drug abuse, supernatural violence, major character death, and minor language

 

Chapter 21: Injections and Interjections

When the headaches return and her mouth becomes dry beyond repair, Daisy decides it's time for another dosage of the drug. She spent the first few days alone constantly injecting more, but she soon realized that her supply was extremely limited.

Now after several days - she isn't sure exactly how many, she hasn't been paying attention - she forces herself to wait until the symptoms of withdrawal start before she injects herself again.

The hallucinations aren't pleasant in any way. Sometimes she sees herself again, stubborn and mocking as usual, and other times she sees different things. Flashbacks and warped versions of reality are quite popular.

She's at the point where she regrets getting re-addicted to the drug, but she's in too far to stop by herself. And right now, herself is all she has.

The apartment is so empty. Pictures of her family and her and Lincoln still cover the walls and furniture still sits, but the faces in the photos seem blank and the furniture is just collecting dust. She can't stand to see her life so dismal, so she confines herself to just the living room.

The good thing about the drug is that it eliminates any need for food and almost all need for drink. It helps fill the holes in her, and it helps keep her from dwelling on the past.

But Daisy comes to a startling discovery today she reaches into the container for another syringe and her fingers grasp nothing.

It's empty.

She's used up all the supply.

She weakly hits the floor with her fist as she slumps off the couch. She has no energy to do anything, not even to stand up and walk to her bedroom.

Defeat seems imminent. How can she go on without the one thing that keeps her going?

She needs to get more, but how? It's not like they just sell it at a drug store.

Except…

Her mind races, running at a feverish and mad pace, and she finds inspiration in her desperation. The gangs sell it in old warehouses or in dark alleys at night, she remembers from one of her and Robbie's missions. She just needs to know where to go to get some.

The thought of getting more spurs her into action. She climbs up off her living room floor and limps to her bedroom, where she scavenges for fresh clothes.

Her hands are trembling too much to put on makeup, but she hopes no one will notice how pale and sickly she looks. The dark bags under her eyes are unavoidable, though.

Her reflection gives her pause. She looks so skinny. And not in a healthy way. She must have lost a lot of weight just from the past week or however long she's been here. All her clothes seem baggy on her, and even in her face her cheekbones are much more prominent than before.

/Look what you're doing to yourself/, the small voice of reason inside her head says. /You're killing yourself./

She ignores the voice and heads out the door, fumbling around for her keys. Her fingers are shaking so hard she can barely keep a hold of the small objects.

It's night out, the air crisp and chilly. The dim streetlamps barely touch the darkness. Daisy turns on her car and starts driving around, hoping to come across some dealers.

The headlights of other cars sear her eyes. She's seen only darkness for so long that everything makes her eyes hurt.

Luckily the places where the dealers work are dark. She peers in every black corner, looking for signs of movement.

As she creeps through the ghettos, she suddenly hears a wailing siren. Blue and red lights whirl behind her. She curses and slowly pulls over, half of her panicking, the other half too far gone to care.

The police officer shines his lights in her face. She winces and turns, blinking the spots away blearily. It's too much all at once.

"Have you been drinking?" the officer asks gruffly. Daisy inwardly sighs, relieved that he isn't asking anything about drugs.

"No, sir," she replies, still looking away. Eventually he drops the flashlight beams and she can look over his way.

"Doesn't smell like it," he murmurs, half to himself. "I'm going to need to take a breathalyzer test."

She agrees to it, knowing full well she has no alcohol in her system. The test results come back clean.

"I'm sorry to inconvenience you," he says once he sees the results. "But you were swerving back and forth all over your lane."

"I'm just really tired, sir."

He stares at her or a long minute. "No kidding. You look exhausted. How far is your destination?"

"Just a couple minutes. I'll be home soon." Daisy hopes he buys her cover story, despite knowing that she's far from her apartment.

"Okay. Drive safer. Try and stay awake. If you need to, pull over for a bit and rest your eyes." He glances around, then leans closer. "But I would recommend getting out of this area as soon as you can. It gets dangerous at night."

"Dangerous?"

"There are gangs," he warns. "They kidnap or shoot people. And there's another guy, too. Have you heard of the Ghost Rider?"

Daisy's eyes widen, but not in fear. She suddenly has an idea. "Yeah, I have."

The officer shakes his head. "He's a scary guy. Sometimes we can't even I.D. his victims because there isn't enough of them left once he's finished with 'em. Stay clear."

She nods, then watches him head back to his car. She waits until the officer has left before heading towards a more familiar area.

Her idea is genius. Robbie always finds the bad guys, and where the bad guys are, the drugs are, also. So she just has to find him and then ask him for help.

It's so easy she can't believe she hadn't thought of it before.

But as she starts driving again, she realizes she can't quite remember where he lives. It's like there's a big blank in her memory.

She shakes the odd feeling away. It doesn't matter. She'll just drive around until she finds him.

-

Daisy shows up exactly six days later. Robbie watches her car pull off the road and into the driveway next to the Dodge. Her parking is uncharacteristically terrible.

He watches as the door hesitantly opens and she stumbles out. Something about the whole thing is odd; Daisy has never been the most graceful of people, but she is far from clumsy. And there's something else, something he can't put his finger on yet.

She staggers over his direction, and as she nears he can see how pale she has become. The bags under her eyes are startling, as if she hasn't slept in weeks.

"Robbie, thank God," she exclaims, her voice hoarse as she limps to him. "I need your help."

She looks like crap. Her hair's all messy and her clothes are wrinkled and her eyes aren't focusing. He feels bad for kicking her out. Obviously she's taken a turn for the worse.

As she reaches him she starts to half fall. He catches her, and when he wraps his arms around her he notices how skinny she is. And not in a normal way; even through her clothes he can feel her bony joints and bones.

"Have you eaten since you left?" he asks, hauling her up gently. He's worried her frame is going to shatter.

"Haven't needed to," she replies, and he's surprised at her lack of concern.

He helps her up the steps to the apartment. "That's not normal, Daisy. People need food to function."

"Not me." She looks at him, and her eyes shine with desire. "Not since I started taking this drug."

Crap. What has she gotten herself into? "What drug?"

"The one they gave me when I was kidnapped. The hallucinogen." Her whole face brightens as she talks about it. "It fills up all the emptiness inside you. I don't need to eat or drink as long as I have it. But I ran out and I need your help to get more."

She must be deep into addiction. Why had he made her leave? He could have helped prevent this. "I'm not helping you get more drugs."

She lurches forward, her eyes burning. For a moment, he's scared of her. "Why not? You're the only person I have left!"

"Look at yourself!" he yells, his patience wearing thin, both from his mistakes and hers. "You're killing yourself!"

She tries to feebly push past him. "Fine. I'll just go get some myself."

He grabs her shoulders firmly. "No. You're staying here."

She punches him, but she's so feeble it doesn't even affect him. "You were the one who kicked me out in the first place! You have no right to keep me here."

He takes hold of her hands in one of his, preventing her from further abuse. They feel like skeletal hands, only a tiny layer of flesh covering the bones.

"You aren't taking care of yourself, Daisy. That drug is poisoning you, and you're just letting it. I can't let you do that."

Although she weakly fights him for every step, he manages to wrestle her away from the door to the living room. He forcefully but gently pushes her on the couch.

"If you leave, I'll know it," he warns her.

She looks up at him with pure, seething hatred. "You can't stop me. I know my rights."

Robbie looks at her with pity. "You won't call the police. I'll just tell them you're a drug addict, and they'll whip you off to a rehab center. And I know that's the last thing you want."

"Then I'll sneak out."

"Good luck with that." Robbie turns and heads out, confident that she doesn't have the energy or resolve to do any such thing.

He returns to his work, not saying anything to Manuel, Francisco, or the new guy, Ignacio. They wisely don't ask.

 

Daisy doesn't try anything for the next few hours. When the shop closes and Gabe gets home, Robbie pulls his younger brother aside.

"Can you stay at a friend's house for the next few days?" he requests.

Gabe gives him a suspicious glance. "What's going on?"

Robbie sighs. "A lot. But can you?"

Gabe crosses his arms. "Tell me why, first."

"You're just as stubborn as she is," Robbie complains, rubbing his forehead.

"Daisy's here?"

Well, Gabe doesn't miss anything. Robbie might as well tell him the truth. "Remember when she was kidnapped? Her kidnappers repeatedly injected her with a powerful and super addictive hallucinogen."

"I remember. It was weird because hallucinogens aren't injected, they're smoked or snorted," Gabe recalls.

"Normally, but not this one. It's some new kind of thing. Anyways, she's addicted to it now and she can't stop taking it herself, so I'm going to help her get through the worst of it. But she doesn't need an audience, so if you can stay elsewhere for a little while it would be nice."

Gabe frowns, probably still stuck on the scientific part of the drug but finally he nods. "Okay. But why can't she just go to a drug rehab?"

"You know how she is about hospitals. I think she'd rather die than end up in one."

Gabe gets a troubled expression on his face at that information, but he doesn't press. "Has she mentioned anything about Lincoln?"

The sound of that name physically hurts Robbie, but he makes sure to show no reaction. "No. But I am going to make her tell me."

"What you're doing for her is good," Gabe says. "It shows you're a good person. But good people are the ones who get hurt the worst in the end. Be careful."

Gabe keeps saying that to him, and Robbie doesn't understand what he means. He's not in any danger from Daisy.

Not that it matters, anyway. He's not the good person Gabe thinks he is. If anything hurts him, it's that fact.

"Thanks for doing this," Robbie says, putting a hand on his brother's shoulder. "I really appreciate it."

Gabe nods. "Thanks for telling me the truth."

Now, that hurts like a punch to the face. Robbie knows how much his little brother wants the truth, but he can never know some things. And although he wants to tell him everything, he can't.

What a complex life.


	22. Misery and Moods

Disclaimer: All rights belong to Disney, Marvel, and all the men and women that created the Agents of SHIELD TV shows, and comics. I take no credit, and I do not mean to break any copyright rules. This is simply a work of fiction made for enjoyment. No money is being made.

Rating: T for dark themes, graphic violence, mentions of torture, drug abuse, supernatural violence, major character death, and minor language

 

Chapter 22: Misery and Moods

Daisy regrets her decision to come to Robbie immediately. She had thought he would be sympathetic to her cause, but instead he all but locks her up and denies her any help.

She isn't stupid, so she knows she can't just leave. He probably did something to her car so that it won't start, too. He's smart like that. And he's stronger than her, especially right now.

Deep down, she knows this is a good thing. She may not like it - in fact, she hates it - but this is the way for her to get clean again. She knows the drug is ruining her life, but she can't stop taking it. And she knows it isn't going to help her see Lincoln again. He's gone.

Then why does she want it so badly? Part of the reason is physical; her body is addicted. But why is she fighting so hard for something that is slowly killing her?

The answer hits her hard. She wants to die.

It's why she so recklessly started on a mission for vengeance, knowing fully well what she is up against. It's why she's fine working for the government in a dangerous position. She just doesn't have a purpose to live, so she actively searches out death.

This isn't the way to go. Out of all the ways to die, starving yourself by convincing your body it doesn't need food has got to be the worst way to go. It's easy, though. She's experienced how weak she is. She needs food if she wants to keep living.

Her resolve hardens itself. If she can't get more of the drug, then she just won't eat. Either Robbie will give and get her more, or she'll die. It's a win-win, and the end result is the same eventually.

She crosses her arms and doesn't move from her seat on the couch. She barely notices the time going by. Her fingers ache to twitch, but she curls her hands into fists. Her head aches, but she tries her best to ignore the pain.

It takes a lot of determination to stand firm in her convictions, but if anyone can do it, she can. She's always been known to be stubborn, after all. Here's her chance to really prove it.

/Lincoln wouldn't want this/, a part of her whispers.

"Lincoln's dead. What he wants does matter. He left me, and that's his fault." Her voice seems to echo in the emptiness.

/You're so selfish/, the voice says, gaining a little strength and volume. /There are other people who care about you, and you're content to just die./

"Nobody cares." If people cared, they would have noticed something is wrong with her by now.

/They do. You just don't let them close enough for them to notice. And there is one person who notices enough to force you to do what's right, even if you don't like it./

Daisy tries to think of an argument for why Robbie is helping her, but she finds that she can't. Everyone else she can brush off as them wanting her for her computer skills, but not him. He doesn't want anything from her.

So why is he so set on her health and well-being?

A sudden thought occurs to her. Maybe he feels like he's messed up in his life too many times and he's trying to make it up. There has always been a certain kind of sadness around him, an aura she detected when she first met him. There's a cursed look in his eyes, and the way he looks at his brother every single time...

Robbie isn't telling her something. He messed up somehow, and he must be trying to atone for it by helping her.

So he does want something from her. Ha. She can justify even him.

Okay. So maybe you're right. Maybe he is trying to make up for the past. Now imagine you die under his care. What will that do to him?

It hits her hard. If her plan works, then Robbie's plan fails. If his plan fails, what will happen to him?

Are you really going to do that to him? Don't you think he has it hard enough? Her conscious is on fire as it spits out reasons for her to live. How can you justify ruining his life when all he's trying to do is help you? You know, one of the reasons you always loved Lincoln was because he never hesitated to help someone in need. Are you really changed so much that you're going to spit in the face of someone just trying to help?

"How dare you bring Lincoln up," she hisses. "We agree that he's gone."

/But his influence isn't. It never will be. That's what happens when you love someone. They change you forever./

Daisy's headache grows exponentially more painful as the two sides of her wage war. She doesn't know what she really believes anymore. Just like when she'd been tied up in that dark room for a week, she suddenly can't tell the difference between what is real and what the drug has convinced her is real.

She definitely knows it's ruining her life, she just doesn't know how to react. Should she lie down and submit or should she fight? What's worth fighting for? What isn't?

She wants a clear mind before she makes a definitive answer, but to clear her mind she needs to erase all signs of the drug from her brain. And that would be making a decision she isn't ready to make.

/We're really stuck in a stalemate, aren't we?/ her conscience muses.

"Yes, we are," she agrees. "Time will only tell which one of us will budge first."

-

Robbie walks in the house to see Daisy seated exactly where he had put her earlier. She's staring straight ahead, one side of her face occasionally twitching. It's so weird to see her so complacent and quiet.

"You want something to eat?" he asks, slowly walking near her. He isn't sure what to expect; earlier she had been trying to beat him up, and now she's just a statue on his couch.

And, if he's being honest, he isn't sure where to start, either. Getting over a drug addiction can take months - even years. He only has about a week to work with her before it's time to bring Gabe home.

But from what he's known of her, she's resilient past anyone else he's ever met. Her spirit is strong. That, combined with the unnatural nature of the drug, should hopefully lead to a quicker-than-usual recovery, or at least get her to a point where she can be by herself without dying to get another dose.

Honestly, a ton of his so-called strategy hinges on the drug being one that burns in and out of the bloodstream quickly.

She stares ahead for a long few seconds before answering. "No. I'm not hungry."

"Uh huh. And how long have you been saying that to yourself?"

She doesn't reply. He sighs, not liking his options. "You have to eat."

"You can't make me." It's not a challenge, but a statement. She doesn't seem to have enough energy to challenge him, anyways.

"Yes, I actually can."

She turns and looks at him with a killer glare. Her face twitches for a moment, as if she's having a mental argument, but the glaring wins out in the end. "No, you can't."

He responds with an equally stubborn look. "You're going to eat, even if I have to shove every bit into your mouth. I can tell you haven't eaten in the past week, and I'm not going to buy your 'I'm not hungry' BS. Either you can willingly eat, or I'll shove it down your throat. It's your decision, really."

-

And so begins what Robbie starts to call Hell Week. Every single good thing he does for her has to be done by force. She refuses to take care of herself at all, and she resists his every attempt. He has to constantly remind himself why he's doing this - even though he isn't exactly sure why. He just knows it's the right thing, even if she is the biggest pain in his ass.

On day two, he snaps. She won't eat again, and she won't take any vitamins. She defies even a sip of water. His frustration mounts.

"You're worse than my brother right now," he shouts, not able to keep it in. "But at least he has some sense of self-preservation. You have nothing."

"So why are you trying to help me?" she questions sharply.

"Have you seen yourself? You obviously need help! It would be a crime to just let you waste away."

"You don't do this for any of the other druggies you bust during your night job. So why me?"

Her cool reasoning stops him in his tracks. It takes him completely by surprise. Two minutes ago she was like a stubborn five-year-old, one minute later an upstart teenager, and now some deep thinker. He can't wait until these mood swings are over.

But underneath those thoughts, he seriously considers her question. What had he been thinking?

"You reminded me of someone I once knew," he answers. "They needed help but no one was there for them, so they made a terrible decision that ruined their whole lives. I wanted to prevent that from happening to you."

"Who was it?"

"You wouldn't know them," he says quickly.

She gives him a dubious look. "I bet I know exactly who you're talking about."

He tries to ignore her and instead sticks out the bottle of vitamins. "Take them."

She shakes her head. "Answer me first."

"I did."

She leans back and crosses her arms. "I'm not doing anything until you answer me."

He sets the vitamins down. "I answered you and I have nothing more to add, so you can sit there forever."

-

Stalemates. Hell Week is full of them. Every single conflict seems to end in one. And those that don't end in stalemates alternate back and forth in terms of who wins. For every argument he wins, she also wins one.

Robbie never was the most patient person in the world, but this frustrates him to no end. Her lack of caring for her own well-being is just as big of the problem as the drug itself. The Daisy he first knew had been a fighter and an independent spirit. Now she just seems broken.

But he won't give up on her. He knows that she has it in her to get over this. He just has to find a way to convince her to start fighting.

-

On day four he sits down in front of her and looks her seriously in the eye. She must sense something is different because she doesn't say anything snarky or react in a obstinate manner.

"Here's the deal," he begins. "The way I see it, you have two choices right now. You can either sit on this couch and let yourself waste away into nothing, or you can pick yourself up and go get that vengeance you were once dead set on getting. I can't decide for you, but I won't just stand aside and let you kill yourself. So if you choose the former, be prepared for more fights with me, and if you pick the latter, know that I'll be ready to go out and find Segundo Cielo and help you get your due. The decision is up to you."

She doesn't say anything. Robbie sighs heavily and stands; at least he tried. If she isn't going to try herself, then there is nothing more he can do for her except force food down her throat. Eventually something's gotta give.

He just hopes it snaps before either one of them does.

-

In the morning, he's surprised to see her awake and sitting at the kitchen table. There's a half-full glass of milk in front of her. She looks up at him with solemn eyes.

"Are you hungry?" he asks, and instead of fighting him, she just silently and somberly nods.

Inside, a huge burden is lifted off of his shoulders. He gladly falls into the task of making a decent breakfast for the two of them.

It may seem like only a small victory, but in fact it's the largest one yet.


	23. Victory and Vices

Disclaimer: All rights belong to Disney, Marvel, and all the men and women that created the Agents of SHIELD TV shows, and comics. I take no credit, and I do not mean to break any copyright rules. This is simply a work of fiction made for enjoyment. No money is being made.

Rating: T for dark themes, graphic violence, mentions of torture, drug abuse, supernatural violence, major character death, and minor language

Chapter 23: Victory and Vices

Robbie's little speech is the push Daisy's conscience needs to finally win out in her internal war. It isn't a complete, sweeping victory, but one that comes in stages. First she moves from the couch to the guest room bed for the night, her first real move in four days. Then she actually sleeps, not just short periods of a time where she struggles to keep her eyes closed. In the morning she wakes up super early and takes a short shower. Then she moves to the kitchen and grabs a drink.

Every single one of those steps is accompanied by a fight, but by the time Robbie emerges, her conscience has overpowered the other part of her mind.

The itch, the temptation, to go out and get more of that drug still exists, but it's fainter now, like an annoying buzz that you always notice but eventually get used to and tune out. As long as she doesn't come into direct contact with it again, she thinks she's fine. And she knows that as time goes by and more days without it in her blood pass, the urge will lessen more and more.

Time really does heal some wounds.

The two of them eat breakfast in relative silence. She isn't sure exactly what to say to him; "Thank you" seems like an understatement. A part of her is still amazed that he didn't kick her out again, but most of her is just grateful.

"I'm sorry I was such a dick this past week," she finally says.

He looks up, his expression equally surprised and amused. "I'm never going to complain about Gabe again, that's for sure."

The mention of Gabe reminds her of a conversation they had a few days ago. The memory is hazy, but she does remember asking some inappropriate things. "And I'm sorry for pressing you on personal details."

Robbie shrugs. "Being curious isn't a sin."

There's another lapse of silence before he speaks again. "I do have one question."

"Yeah?"

She notices he hesitates a long time before asking. "Can you tell me about Lincoln?" he finally manages to get out.

The question surprises her. As far as she remembers, Daisy had never mentioned her former boyfriend to Robbie. It doesn't matter how he heard of him, though; she will answer his question. It's only fair, after all she's put him through recently.

"Lincoln was my boyfriend," she begins, pushing back the pain of the memories. "We dated through my college years."

"Was?"

She takes a deep breath. "He died shortly before I met you."

Robbie's eyes widen. "I'm sorry," he offers.

Daisy shakes her head. "It's fine. I mean, it's not, but I - I think I'm moving on." If one good thing came from this whole drug-addiction thing, it's that she realized Lincoln wants her to move on. He would want her to keep living. She can honor him by doing that. It doesn't mean it will be easy, but she will try her best. And he was right by saying that having Robbie around will make it easier.

"How did he die?" Robbie asks quietly.

A brief flashback of the day comes to her mind. "I was visiting him at his work. He was a doctor, and one of his patients was a high-profile witness. While he was doing his routine check-ups, some gang members came in to finish him off. Lincoln, he - " She swallows hard. "He tried to protect the patient and me, and one of the guys shot him, too. Right in front of me."

"The hospital shooting," Robbie murmurs, half to himself. "I remember reading about it in the newspaper. I'm so sorry, Daisy. That must have been horrible."

"Not as horrible as finding out my mom helped with the attack," Daisy replies wryly. "I lost everything, and I wanted vengeance. Soon after, I met you."

Robbie reaches out and lays one of his hands over hers. "The day I kicked you out, I heard you mention Lincoln's name. I thought you and him were still a thing. I was so angry."

Her heart races. Why would that make him angry? Does that mean what she thinks it means?

The night he rescued her from the kidnappers comes to mind. She remembers kissing him, right in this very room. She can still feel his lips on hers, even weeks after. She has thought about that moment way too many times.

Does he still think about it, too? Is that why he took care of her even though she was being awful? Is that why he lets her stay here?

Are his eyes always that intense when looks at her? Does her heart always act up around him?

"Robbie," she begins, not totally sure about what's going to happen next. "Why were you worried about Lincoln and I?"

His silence is answer enough. She leans forward and this time she's the one who initiates the kiss. It starts slow, like the first one, but it grows out of control, like a wildfire.

Even kissing Lincoln wasn't like this. There's just something about Robbie that makes everything more edgy, more risky, more fiery. Lincoln had always been a safe bet, the guy your parents approve of, but Robbie is the risky one, the guy you'd sneak out of the house at midnight to see, the one who'd make life more interesting and more dangerous. Daisy had always thought Lincoln's goodness had balanced out her rebellious side, but damn, Robbie's fire just adds fuel to hers.

Daisy has always been attracted to dangerous things. Maybe that's why she and Robbie fall together so well. They're birds of a feather.

Even fire needs oxygen, and so the kiss ends when neither of them can breathe anymore.

"Any more questions?" Daisy asks, half-teasing. He looks at her and smiles -

Yes, folks, Robbie Reyes just smiled. And she's the reason for it. If it's possible to fall deeper, then she just did.

"One, actually," he says. His face turns slightly more serious. "Where does this leave us?"

Now that is a very good question.

"Somewhere we can do that again, I hope," she replies. It suddenly crosses her mind that during that whole time, from the start of the conversation to now, she had not once thought of the drug she used to think non-stop about.

Looking at Robbie again, though, she realizes that he's enough of a drug to keep her satisfied. And he's way more addicting than whatever that other crap was.

-

Robbie's head is spinning long after Daisy retreats back to her room. He does the dishes methodically, barely noticing the hot water scalding his hands or the steam filling up the air.

Yeah, she'd improved a lot from the night before, but he had not been expecting that to happen. The first time he'd kissed her he had convinced himself he was doing it to help prove to her that she was in reality, not a hallucination, but deep down there had been something more. All it took was that last kiss to drag all those feelings right back up to the surface.

He can't deny that he's attracted to her, but he's still trying to pinpoint exactly how he feels. When she had been gone, part of him felt like it was missing, too. The apartment always seems quiet when she's not around, and when she is, it seems to spring to life. She makes his life more interesting.

He doesn't believe in chance, or luck, so he knows there's a reason why they met that night on the road. Is this the reason? Is she the one for when he finally fulfills his oath and has his independence and life back?

Daisy has seen the the worst of him and that's not enough to make her run. She's tough, yet kind. She isn't afraid to make the first move or take charge of a situation.

In more than one way, she's perfect.

But he's still hesitant to start a relationship. He doesn't have to worry about the whole Lincoln thing now, but they still work together for the night job. If they're in a relationship will he be able to focus clearly?

Robbie remembers his panic when she was kidnapped. The answer had been there all along, but he had completely ignored the obvious. She almost died because of his mistake. And even though he knows she can fend for herself, what if something beyond their control happens? How will he react?

But being with her like that...wow. They certainly have good chemistry. If he can only put aside his worries for the future then imagine what they can become. He likes the idea of her being around in a permanent manner, and he knows Gabe is warming up to her, too.

He could have a real family again. Just her and him and Gabe.

The thought makes his nostalgic for his parents. The night they died is forever ingrained in his mind. He was wrong, yes, but some things are unforgettable. That kind of suffering doesn't go away.

Around Daisy, though, his concerns seem to dissipate. Looking into her eyes he can't remember why he had been worried in the first place. He gets lost in her smile, and her laugh is like bells ringing.

And it had taken him so long to realize.

He isn't going to let her go, not this time. The devil inside him is still raging, but Robbie is done letting it dictate how he lives his life.

Of course, all of this happening doesn't change much. He and Daisy still need to focus on getting Segundo Cielo and Fifth Street Locos. It's only after they defeat the two gangs that the devil will finally - after all these years - leave Robbie. And before he can truly commit to any relationship, he needs to finish up this work.

But first things first. Robbie calls Gabe to let him know he can move back in, and then he calls his crew to let them know the shop is opening up again.

Everything is falling into place, so something is bound to go wrong soon. Robbie's not oblivious to how life works. He's going to keep his eyes open. And even though Daisy has finally decided to start fighting her addiction, it's not just going to go away overnight. He still needs to be there for her in case she needs a reminder of why she's resisting.

There are so many places he has to be, and so little time. Robbie already feels stretched out. He knows he'll manage, but man, he's just so tired right now.

He sits heavily down on the couch. He'll close his eyes just for a few seconds. Then he'll start getting to work again. He's gotten pretty behind during the last few days.

His eyelids are heavier than he thinks, and he doesn't wake up for a long time.


	24. Assignments and Attraction

Disclaimer: All rights belong to Disney, Marvel, and all the men and women that created the Agents of SHIELD TV shows, and comics. I take no credit, and I do not mean to break any copyright rules. This is simply a work of fiction made for enjoyment. No money is being made.

Rating: T for dark themes, graphic violence, mentions of torture, drug abuse, supernatural violence, major character death, and minor language

Chapter 24: Assignments and Attraction

Daisy decides to head back to work later that day - this time for good. She's lucky enough that Coulson has been pretty lenient with her schedule so far, but he won't put up with her absence forever.

She means to tell Robbie of her plans, but he's passed out on the couch. She feels a little bad - it is her fault, after all, that he's so exhausted - but more than anything it's just adorable. She settles with leaving a note on the kitchen table for him.

She takes her own car this time. After she reports in with Coulson and May, Jemma takes her around the base.

"I have someone you need to meet," she says, her pace increasing. There's an edge of excitement in her voice. "We picked him up while you were on your sick leave."

"Picked him up?" Daisy asks, struggling to keep pace with the scientist.

"Yes. He was formerly...not good," she explains. "But now he's on our side."

"That doesn't sound sketchy at all," Daisy murmurs under her breath.

They reach the lab and Jemma opens the door. Inside, Fitz and a man with graying hair stand over a holotable, focused intensely on their work.

"Daisy's back!" Simmons announces. Both men turn around. Fitz smiles at her warmly.

"Welcome back, Daisy," he says.

"It's nice to see you, too, Fitz," she replies.

"Who are you?" the other guy asks, looking her over.

"This is Daisy, our computer programmer and hacker." Jemma smiles. "Daisy, this is Dr. Radcliffe."

The two shake hands. Dr. Radcliffe seems perpetually rushed and almost robotic. Daisy isn't sure how she feels about him. "You're a scientist?"

"An awfully general statement, but yes," he responds. "Good meeting you." He turns back to his work, muttering things to himself.

"A charming fellow," Daisy observes wryly as she and Simmons head back to the latter's workspace.

"He is a bit rough around the edges, I'll admit, but he has a brilliant mind." The bio-chemist sighs. "We'll be working with him a lot from now on. Although his methods are often questionable, his intentions are entirely pure."

"Doesn't exactly seem like Coulson's style," Daisy says. If this is a government organization, why are they hiring semi-crooked scientists? It seems a little shady to her.

"Daisy…" Jemma trails off for a moment, then steadies her resolve. "A lot happened while you were gone."

"Like what?"

"SHIELD is officially assigned to track down Segundo Cielos and eliminate their threat. The problem is, they're more than just a street gang, and more than just a smuggling ring. They have assets everywhere. Government officials, even."

"If they have government assets then don't they know we're on their trail? Won't they just flee town for a bit until everything dies down?"

There's a long pause before she answers. "I guess I wasn't clear. Not all of SHIELD is tasked with finding them. It's just our group, along with a few outside assets we occasionally bring in."

A mission. A real mission. And it's taking down the gang Daisy wants to see locked away more badly then anything else. But she and Robbie are also working together to take them down, only in a slightly more fatal way.

How is she supposed to balance both tasks? And what if they run into each other? Daisy stands to lose everything.

When did things get so complicated?

But she has some say in this. After all, she is on the inside of both sides. "Who's the team for this?"

"I'm not entirely sure yet, but Coulson will be assembling a meeting soon enough. You'll be needed for your skills within the next few days." Jemma lays a hand on her shoulder. "Welcome to the team, Daisy."

Maybe this means she'll have access to the tech room now. The biggest question for her is who to report her information to: Robbie, or the team?

When she makes it back to the apartment, Gabe is back home. He almost smiles at her when she walks in, which she considers a huge victory.

"Feeling better?" he asks.

"Much better, actually," she replies. "Where's Robbie?"

The kid shrugs. "Out. I just got home within the last hour and he wasn't here when I came."

He's probably just doing some work or running errands. Daisy doesn't dwell on it. Instead she sits down across from Gabe. "Sorry you kinda got shafted this past week. I never meant for my presence to displace you."

He shrugs. "It's okay. Sometimes it's nice to get away. And it was really important for him."

"It was?" No one knows Robbie like Gabe does. And though she and Robbie had somewhat confessed their feelings, there are still dozens of things the mechanic will never tell her to her face, but Gabe knows them all.

"Yeah." He doesn't look at her when he answers. "He really cares about you."

They sit in silence for a moment before Gabe speaks up again. "And what about you, Daisy?"

"What?"

"How do you feel about him?"

Daisy's mind takes her back to the kiss this morning. How does she feel about Robbie? She feels like her nerves are on fire, like she's a stick of dynamite primed to explode whenever he touches her. Her veins are flooded with a thrumming energy powerful enough to run the world. Her heart is a flame, shining as bright as the sun. The universe is in her hands, but she would give it all up for a moment with him. The stars are hers to command, but the brightest ones are found in his eyes.

Of course, she can't say that to Gabe. "I like him," she says instead.

He raises an eyebrow. "Like? That's a purposefully vague description."

Damn, that kid can, like, read her mind. "I like him enough to stay around," she adds, intentionally keeping it a generalized statement.

"So you're using him."

"Using him? I like being around him!" As soon as the words leave her mouth she realizes how Gabe had played her. "Oh, you're a clever one. Slytherin would be proud of you."

Gabe smiles innocently. "You like being around him, huh?"

Two can play this game. "I do, in fact. And he likes being around me."

"And you know this because...?"

She leans in close to him and lowers her voice. "Because he showed me in a very special way this morning."

Daisy leans back, watching with satisfaction as Gabe's face turns from smug to shocked to disgusted. She knew that he would assume the worst if she phrased it a certain way. After all, Daisy was a high schooler, too, once upon a time.

Gabe coughs and slowly recovers. "So you're going to be, uh, staying here for a while?"

"Oh, yes." She stands up and pats his on the shoulder. "You'll be seeing lots of me in the future."

She walks away, her chin high and a cocky smirk on her face. Finally she's faced Gabe and beat him.

But she isn't daft. She knows this is just the beginning of a long war between the two of them. A war Robbie will never know about - because it's over him. Daisy and Gabe both have claims on him, and they're willing to fight for it.

-

For some reason, dinner is extremely awkward. Robbie must have missed something, because Daisy's on fire - metaphorically, of course - and Gabe won't look him in the eye.

Daisy is also über-confident. Although it's a good look on her, Robbie is curious as to what happened between this morning and now to boost her up.

Maybe something good at work. Or maybe...

Robbie thinks about their kiss this morning. If he's being honest, he's been thinking about it all day. Maybe that's why she's in such a good mood. He knows that it's put him in a good mood. And she had said that she would like to be somewhere that they can repeat it in the future, and Robbie is more than inclined to agree.

Once they finish getting their vengeance, of course. That's the number one priority now.

As as soon as dinner is over, Gabe excuses himself to his room and shuts the door behind him quickly. Robbie watches in confusion. "Is he alright?"

He sees Daisy try to hide a smile. "He's fine. Just getting used to some new things."

Now Robbie is really suspicious. "What new things?"

"When it comes to cleverness, he's not the only one here with skills."

That doesn't make any sense. "What happened?"

"He tried to manipulate me to tell him things. I turned his own intelligence against him and now he assumes certain things."

Well at least someone in this household can outsmart Gabe. Robbie never could do that himself. But what did she say to completely scare the kid off? "What...things does he assume?"

She can't resist smirking, although he can tell she's trying. "He may think we're sleeping together."

For the first time in forever, Robbie laughs. "I'm not even going to ask how that subject came up."

It all makes sense now. How Gabe can't look him in the eyes, why he's avoiding the two of them, and why Daisy is so amused.

"He brought it up. Sometimes he's too clever for his own good." Daisy grins. "He's not the first person I've met like that."

"Those are not genes I inherited," Robbie admits. "I'm just the dumb high school dropout."

She frowns at him. "You're not dumb, Robbie. Intelligence isn't defined by what maths you can do or how much science you know or how much schooling you got or what your grades are. There are tons of people in the world who go to Ivy League colleges and still don't know a thing! It's how you think that matters."

He likes that. And not just because she's the one saying it (although that's a big part of it).

"I think you're right," he agrees.

She shrugs. "It's just something I've noticed in my years of schooling. I never had great grades as a kid, especially because I was always being bounced around from family to family. It's hard to focus on school with no stability. But now I've graduated college and I have a great job."

"Gabe wants me to get my GED, so that I would be officially graduated, but I don't really need it. I've got everything I need right here." He motions around. "My own shop, a good crew, a place to call home, and you and Gabe. It's not perfect, but it's the best I can ask for."

Robbie really is content, with one major exception - the devil inside him. But soon his avenging will be over. He's sure that between Fifth Street and Segundo Cielo he'll have caught the last of those who wronged him and his family. His days of night riding are nearly over.

The promise of a normal life seem almost too good to be true after all Robbie has been through. He's not sure he will be able to ever be completely normal; if he sees someone doing something bad, will he be able to resist stopping them?

Should he resist it?

Are all good samaritans actually bad or are there good ones, too?

Did he just happen to have one unlucky experience that his influenced his perceptions forever?

"Robbie." Daisy snaps her fingers in front of him. He blinks, shaken out of thought.

"Yeah? Sorry."

"Where'd you go?" she asks.

"I'm just thinking about the future."

"Am I in it?"

He's surprised by how tentative her voice is. It's almost as if she's scared of the answer.

"I suppose I can fit you in," he says lightly, and she seems to relax.

"Good. With my luck with cars, I'm going to need a dependable mechanic around." There is another meaning between the lines, but Robbie isn't entirely sure what it is.

"Speaking of cars, I want you to drive Lucy from now on."

"Are you one of those guys who get turned on when girls drive muscle cars?" she teases. "Please say no."

"Well, that thought hadn't actually crossed my mind yet," Robbie admits truthfully. "But now that you mention it -"

She smacks him playfully, and he grins for a minute before turning serious. "I want you to take the Dodge because the people who kidnapped you are familiar with your car. They might try and capture you again, or worse."

"You don't think I can defend myself?" she demands defensively. "I can fight."

"I know you can," he says quickly. "But they have guns and numbers. Even I can only take so many on at a time."

She frowns. "Have you ever been hurt on a mission before?"

Robbie thinks back, and the answer startles him. "Not yet. I mean, I've gotten some minor bruises or scrapes and burns, but nothing that didn't heal in a couple of days." He pauses. "I've been unusually lucky so far. All it would take is one well-aimed bullet and I'm out."

"What about Gabe?" she asks in a muted voice. "If you died, what would happen to him?"

Robbie doesn't want to think about that. Gabe has no one. Their only living relative is an uncle in prison for attempted murder and assault. They don't really have friends. "If something happens to me, you'll have to take care of him," he answers. "He wouldn't be a problem."

Daisy nods. "Of course. He's a good kid. But Robbie - he needs you. You're his older brother, his role-model, his hero." She reaches forward and grabs his hand. Her skin is cool to the touch and smooth in complete contrast to Robbie's constantly warm and calloused hand. "Promise me you won't put yourself in a bad situation if you can avoid it."

Looking into her eyes, Robbie can't find any opposition. "I won't. And I was exaggerating a bit on being lucky - I don't even believe in luck. With the exception of when I rescued you, I've always been the one to initiate the attack, and by surprise. I'm well aware of what is at risk."

She leans back, her body less tense than before. She doesn't release his hand, though. "That makes me feel better."

"You have to promise me one thing in return."

She looks at him with attentive eyes.

"Promise me you'll never try to kill yourself again. I know it's hard to find purpose after something bad happens or someone you love dies, but your life is still worth living." He looks away as he adds, "and if you can't find a reason for yourself, do it for me."

She stares at him for a long time. Her gaze is so intense Robbie feels like a thin sheet of ice about to crack into hundreds of pieces. She leans close and Robbie thinks she's going to kiss him again. His heart races faster.

"Now I have to stay alive in case you can't," she murmurs. "But as long as you're alive, the world isn't such a bad place."

She leans back and stands up. He doesn't move a muscle as he can hear her walk away.

When her footsteps fade, he finally releases the breath he'd been holding. He can still feel the whispers of her words on his skin, and his heart won't calm down.

She has no idea what she does to him, but if this is suffering, he'll relive it forever.


	25. Patterns and Problems

Disclaimer: All rights belong to Disney, Marvel, and all the men and women that created the Agents of SHIELD TV shows, and comics. I take no credit, and I do not mean to break any copyright rules. This is simply a work of fiction made for enjoyment. No money is being made.

Rating: T for dark themes, graphic violence, mentions of torture, drug abuse, supernatural violence, major character death, and minor language

Author's Note: Sorry it took so long between updates! I have to take the SAT in less than a week and I'm freaking out :/

Chapter 25: Patterns and Problems

The team gathers around a holo-table in Coulson's office. Since she's been working here, Daisy has never seen the full team assembled and ready to work.

FitzSimmons and Dr. Radcliffe stand next to her. Fitz and Simmons are talking quietly to each other, and they're standing awfully close for coworkers. Radcliffe is a foot away, frowning at a tablet in his hand.

On the other side of the table Agent May stands next to Coulson, the two of them wearing identical unreadable looks. May has her arms crossed and Coulson's are resting at his sides.

Mack is standing next to a Mexican woman Daisy has seen once or twice before. She's not an official agent; more like an asset who has been trained. Her dark hair is in a braid down her back and she laughs at something Mack says. Daisy can't remember her real name, but the others call her Yo-Yo.

She leans over and whispers to Simmons, "is this everyone?"

"Everyone left," the scientist responds.

"Left?"

Jemma's face turns sad. "Two of our finest agents were captured by a foreign power not long before you came here. In order to negotiate for their release, they had to agree never to work for us or any other government agency ever again. It was rough for all of us. In some ways they were the heart and soul of the team, and we didn't even get to say goodbye in a real way."

"That's really sad," Daisy replies. Having to let go of Lincoln when he died was hard enough, but having to know some of your best friends are alive but unreachable has to be worse.

It also worries her. What if something happened like that to her? What would she do if she didn't have a computer job?

"There were also two other former members of our team. One turned and betrayed us all, nearly causing Fitz's and my death." Jemma lowers her voice so only she can hear. "Fitz didn't always have a stutter. And his hands used to never shake."

Daisy is smart enough to catch her drift. Brain damage is what happened. The specifics are unknown, but it's another proof of the dangers of this job.

"The last member - he was only with us a short time." Jemma swallows hard. "He was killed in an underground temple we were exploring in South America. There wasn't even a body to recover."

From Simmons's mannerisms, Daisy gets the impression that the last guy was more than just a co-worker to her. And not even finding a body? That's just horrible.

"I'm sorry." It feels inadequate, but what else can she say? She didn't personally know any of them.

"It's the price we pay to protect the world," Jemma replies, recovering. "No one said it would be easy. We all knew the risks when we signed up."

Actually, Daisy had no idea it was this risky, but she doesn't say anything.

Before she can ask Simmons another question, Coulson gets everyone's attention.

"We know there are two gangs plaguing the city," he begins, showing a collage of news articles. "One is the common Fifth Street Locos, who have been around for years. The other is newer. Segundo Cielo is a smuggling gang that has been covertly operating in L.A. for the past few months. Only recently have they been discovered."

"We have reason to believe they are more than just smugglers," May adds. "Either smuggling is a front for their real operations, or the smuggling is a part of something bigger. We're not sure yet."

"They have their hands in the government, in hospitals, in fire departments, in police stations, in schools - everywhere. They're highly organized." Coulson looks around at everyone. "Our goal is to find out what they're planning and why, where, and when. Then we eliminate the threat."

"I'll be in charge of tactics and a STRIKE team for once we find them," May says. "Mack and Yo-Yo are with me."

"Dr. Radcliffe and Simmons are to stay in the labs and await any incoming evidence. While you're waiting, you'll also keep an eye on the video feeds to help the STRIKE team." Coulson then turns to Daisy. "Agent Johnson, you and Fitz are going to work together to find Segundo Cielo."

An hour later, Daisy and Fitz are in the information room, a dozen computers around them with all different feeds. Fitz shakes his head, clearly frustrated.

"Blast it all," he mutters, his accent heavier now that he's upset.

"What is it?" Daisy looks up from an article she's skimming through.

"I'm trying to connect the gang's activities, but it just doesn't match up." Fitz points to one screen. "Here, they're supposedly kidnapping hackers."

Daisy frowns, though not for the same reasons as Fitz. Had those men been lying when they said they captured her as bait for the Ghost Rider? Why would they be kidnapping hackers?

Or what if they kidnapped her because they knew she was a hacker but later found out she was connected to the Ghost Rider so their plans changed?

But it still leaves one big question: why do they need hackers?

Fitz continues on his rant, oblivious to her reaction. "And on this article, it says they're selling distributing drugs!"

At the mention of drugs, Daisy's heart races and her mouth instantly dries up. She feels a sudden temptation to inject herself with that hallucinogen again.

She grits her teeth and clenches her fists. No. That drug ruined her, and she's not going to let it take control of her ever again.

"You okay, Daisy?" Fitz asks a moment later.

"Yeah, I'm good." Daisy releases her fists slowly. "What were you saying?"

"It just doesn't make sense. None of their reported acts have any connections. And this is only the tip of the iceberg; they'd been operating here for months before we noticed their presence." Fitz starts pacing. "They're always one step ahead of us."

"So how do we fix that?" Daisy asks.

"We find someone who knows them. Someone who isn't a step behind." Fitz glances at another screen, and Daisy can literally see a light bulb go off in his mind. "Wait a minute. I think I've got something."

He rushes to the computer and starts typing like crazy. Daisy peers over his shoulder. "What is it?"

"Someone who is always right with them," Fitz repeats. He turns to her and smiles, then points at the screen.

Daisy's heart drops at what she sees.

"We need to find the Ghost Rider."

-

"I need to tell you something that's totally classified," Daisy says that night. Robbie has to admit he's curious, but he's also wary; whenever she gets serious like this, it's not a good thing.

"Classified as in government secrets?" he asks.

"Classified as in I can lose my job for telling you this." Daisy takes in a deep breath, as if still coming to terms with that fact.

"Then why are you telling me? I thought you liked your job."

"I do. But I also like you, so I have to warn you."

Robbie doesn't interject again. He has a bad feeling about what she's about to say.

"The team I work with has been assigned to track down and stop Segundo Cielo."

What's wrong with that? Doesn't Daisy want vengeance? Now she can easily get it, and without any personal risk.

"We can't find any patterns in their behavior, though, so we're drawing a complete blank on how to find them. One of my co workers had the brilliant, yet disastrous, idea of finding someone who has already found the gang instead." She pauses, and Robbie connects the dots.

"They're coming after me," he realizes.

"Technically the Ghost Rider, but yeah." Daisy purses her lips together. "I can try and keep them off your scent, but they won't be deterred forever. These are some of the best agents in the world."

Great. Thugs he can handle, but government agents? Robbie isn't going to hurt innocent people, but when the Ghost Rider takes over, anyone in the way of his work is in danger.

"We need to find and expose Segundo Cielo before your friends do, then," Robbie states. "It's been awhile since the Ghost Rider's been out."

"I'm coming, too," Daisy declares, standing up. Robbie wants to protest, but he decides to not say anything. He does like her company, and after she risked her job to warn him, he owes it to her to let her tag along.

When night falls, the two of them load into the Dodge. Robbie still has no real idea where to look for Segundo Cielo, but hopefully Daisy can help with that.

"Did your research give you any clues as to where Segundo Cielo might be hanging around?" he asks her.

She thinks for a moment. "There are reports of tons of abandoned warehouses and empty lots being bought up, but none of those really stuck out. They could be anywhere." She shakes her head. "I'm not even sure which reports are about Fifth Street and which are about Segundo Cielo anymore."

"Fifth Street used to only be a hit-and-run gang. They've evolved, it seems."

"I do remember reports about drug selling." Daisy seems reluctant to say it, and Robbie looks over at her with concern.

"Let's leave that as a last option," he suggests. Although she's been off the drugs for over a week now, he knows the temptation hasn't disappeared. She's going to be struggling with it for months to come.

She nods, seemingly relieved, then turns to stare out the window. They're back to square one, but Robbie doesn't want to put her in a place where she might be compromised. When it comes to that drug, he's going to be taking care of it himself. She doesn't need to be exposed to it again.

"Robbie," she says suddenly.

"Yeah?"

"Would a stan -"

She's cut off by the sounds of gunfire. There's a lot of it, if the countless pops are any indicator.

Robbie slams on the brakes, puts the car in reverse, and hits the accelerator. They fly backwards towards the sound of the fight.

"Never mind," Daisy says, breathless as a result of the jolt. "That answered my question."

About a block back and to the left a massive firefight is at hand. Police cruisers on one side of a parking lot face gang members on the other side. And it appears the gang members are winning.

Robbie parks in front of a building a hundred feet away. "Stay here," he orders, grabbing a length of chain and a handgun.

She reaches over and grabs his hand. "Remember what you promised me?" she demands.

Robbie remembers promising to stay alive. But the Ghost Rider never made any such deal, and right now it's in charge, not him.

"I have to do this," he says firmly. "Don't get yourself killed. There's an extra gun in the glove box if you need it."

He takes off at a jog towards the firefight, staying on the gang side. Hopefully they'll be so focused on getting the policemen that they won't notice him until it's too late.

Robbie lets the Ghost Rider have full control, and the devil gets him safely behind the barricade of cars. A window explodes from a bullet right by his face, but he manages to duck out of the way of the glass shards. Another bullet slams into the concrete by his feet.

The first gang member is focused on shooting the police when Robbie grabs him from behind and chokes him. A slight gurgling sound that gets lost underneath the gunfire is all he makes. Robbie releases his body to collapse on the ground.

The next guy is crouched underneath the windows on another car to reload when he looks up and sees Robbie.

"¿Por qué no disparas?" he demands angrily.

"I'm not here to shoot them," the devil growls, and Robbie lights up the chain and swings it at the man. He doesn't even have a chance to move.

The rest of the gang members are alerted to Robbie's presence now. They stop shooting at the police and face him, some of them with fearful expressions.

"Es el Ghost Rider," one says in awe.

One man raises his gun, but Robbie flicks the chain his direction. The flame-licked metal wraps around the man's wrist, searing his skin and causing him to scream in pain as he drops his gun.

Two of the men turn to flee but as soon as they pass the barricade of cars they're shot by the police. The rest of the men - about a half dozen - see that and realize they have two choices: surrender to the police, or try fighting the Ghost Rider.

Robbie can see in their faces that they know he never leaves anyone alive, but they have a determined look on their faces. They're going to try and fight him.

He whips the fiery chain in the air as a challenge before flinging it towards the group of men. Some of them fall immediately, burns and gouges decorating their skin.

Robbie kicks another man square in the sternum so that he flies back, hitting the jagged glass of a shattered window pane with the back of his head. He slumps to the ground, his skull glittering with glass shards and crimson.

Another thug fires at him repeatedly. Robbie jumps out of the way of the bullets and once again makes use of his chain.

The last guy decides to run, but he trips over a body and falls hard, hitting his head. He doesn't move again.

There's enough alcohol and spilled gas on the scene that all Robbie has to do is drop a well-aimed match. The whole gang-side of the barricade goes up in flames.

Robbie walks out if the fire relatively unharmed, his chain now extinguished and balled up in one hand. His gun still lies in his pocket, unused and out of sight.

"Don't move," a voice sternly orders. Robbie looks to to see a half dozen policemen with guns trained on him. They're fifteen feet in front of him, well out of the way of the reach of his chain but close enough that they won't miss if they choose to shoot.

"I just saved you," Robbie complains, throwing his hands out in disbelief.

"You just murdered those men," the police officer in charge corrects. "We had the situation completely under control."

"If by control you mean you were all going to die, then yeah." Robbie looks out of the corner of his eyes for an escape, but he can't find one.

"You're under arrest. You have the right to remain silent." Although the man's words are tough, none of the officers actually dare to move close enough to handcuff him. "Drop your weapon. I repeat, drop your weapon."

"Are you going to shoot me if I don't?" Robbie challenges.

"We know who you really are. You're the Ghost Rider. And now it's time to end your reign of terror on these streets. Either drop the chain or we will fire."

Robbie isn't going to drop his chain. But then he remembers his promise to Daisy. In order to stay alive, he'll have to give himself up.

But he isn't cut out for prison. Death is better than a jail cell for the rest of his life. And he's living on borrowed time, anyway.

Robbie doesn't drop his weapon.


	26. Fire and Fights

Disclaimer: All rights belong to Disney, Marvel, and all the men and women that created the Agents of SHIELD TV shows, and comics. I take no credit, and I do not mean to break any copyright rules. This is simply a work of fiction made for enjoyment. No money is being made.

Rating: T for dark themes, graphic violence, mentions of torture, drug abuse, supernatural violence, major character death, and minor language

Author's Note: I am SOOOO sorry for the long wait! Thank you for all your encouragements about my testing; I'm not sure how well I did, but I guess I can always retake it, right? Now that the SAT is over, I get to focus on my AP exams (fun!). I will try to get back to a relatively consistent updating schedule again.

Chapter 26: Fire and Fights

As soon as Robbie is far enough away, Daisy exits the passenger side of the Dodge and moves where she can watch.

She can't see exactly what's going, as there are barricades of cars in the way and only dim streetlamps to provide light, but the one thing she can see, clear as day, is the fiery chain. As it whips through the air it's like a beacon.

The police must see it, too. They stop firing. Only twice more are shots sent off from their side. Then everything falls silent. The chain whips through the air again.

Daisy sees the whole scene light up in fire. Robbie must have finished the gang members off. But what she can see that she's sure he doesn't is the mob of officers that are creeping from behind their barricade towards the fire, guns held out in front of them.

She realizes with a start what they're doing. For the first time they have the opportunity to catch the Ghost Rider in action. Of course they're going to try to arrest him.

There are only two things that can happen as a result of this: either Robbie is going to have to kill them to escape, or they're going to kill or arrest him instead.

Daisy can't let either of those things happen.

She sprints back to the car, sliding into the driver's seat this time. She grinds the key into the ignition - Robbie would be cringing if he were here, she knows - and backs away, moving quickly.

She drives the car around the block, going as quickly as she dares. Robbie would never forgive her if she damaged his baby, even if it was while saving his own skin.

By the time she turns into the parking lot, the police have already found Robbie. The two groups face off, fifteen feet between them. This is going to be close.

Daisy stomps on the accelerator, flying up towards the altercation. She slams on the brakes when the car is right in between the two groups, then she leans over and opens the passenger door.

"Get in!"

Robbie jumps in and she hits the accelerator before he even gets the chance to close the door. She hears yelling behind them and a few gunshots, but the car isn't hit.

Daisy drives like crazy out of the area, knowing full well that the police won't be far behind.

"Please don't wreck my car," Robbie mutters in the passenger seat.

"Oh, sorry, I'll just drop you off here for the police to pick up," Daisy snaps as she turns another sharp corner. She hears Robbie's head hit the window.

"Ow."

"I'm not very happy right now," she says, her tone as sharp as the last corner. In the distance she can hear sirens.

"Just focus on driving, okay? You can yell at me later."

Oh, she is so going to yell at him later. But she's mad right now, so she's going to let him know it now, too. Besides, if she waits, the anger might fade to be replaced by relief, and she wants him to know that what he did was not okay, even if everything did work out in the end.

"All you had to do was run away instead of dramatically walking out of the fire straight into the arms of the police. But no, that's just too hard for you."

"Daisy -"

"I'm not done yet," she interrupts, turning to glare at him. "Not even close."

"Daisy, turn left!"

She whips the steering wheel to the left, not seeing what he means until the last minute. The wheels hit a curb and they go flying for a second before hitting the pavement hard.

"Go into that parking garage," he directs, and she follows.

They break through the flimsy wooden barricade and barrel past rows and rows of cars.

"I hope there's another exit to this place, 'cause otherwise we're going to be cornered here," Daisy says.

"There is a back way," Robbie assures her.

Daisy sees it up ahead. "Problem," she states. "The police thought of it, too."

One cruiser is parked right in the exit way. The two policemen stand in front of the hood, their guns pointed towards them.

Robbie sighs next to her.

"You have an idea, right?" Daisy doesn't slow down, but she's ready to hit the brake if need be.

"I don't like it, but yeah. Keep going straight. Try to avoid hitting the men, but we're going to have to hit the bumper of the cruiser."

"Is this car stronger than that one?" Daisy takes a deep breath and concentrates.

"I hope so."

Daisy is really glad Robbie has such unfailing faith in his car. She aims the car as best as she can, but as they explode out the exit - the police jumping to the side to avoid being hit - they clip the cruiser.

There's a shriek as the bumper on the cruiser is ripped off and run over by the Dodge, but Daisy doesn't stop.

"Where to now, Robbie?" she asks, zigzagging around some corners.

He turns completely around to look back behind. "I don't see the other pursuit cars, and the one we hit is in pretty bad shape. Take a long route back to the shop. I think we've lost them."

"Sorry about your car," she says, gradually slowing down. The sound of the sirens is completely gone by now.

"It had to be done," Robbie replies. "It's not too bad, though. I'll be able to fix her up in a day or two."

He seems really subdued and grim. He stares out the window, and when she does see his eyes, they're filled with a sadness she can't quite name.

It's only after she parks Lucy in the shop well away from the eyes of the police that she turns to address it. "What's wrong, Robbie?"

He lethargically turns to face her. "I hate being the Ghost Rider," he admits. "I hate hurting people, even if they deserve it."

"Then why do you do it?" It's a question Daisy has been aching to ask since she first met him. Why does a nice guy like him go out killing people every night? It just doesn't make sense.

"I have to." He takes a deep breath. "My parents died when I was young. My uncle raised me and Gabe for a few years, but then some things went south at his job. It was a mysterious job, and he wouldn't tell us anything except that he was doing science. Anyways, he ended up in prison and I dropped out of school to raise Gabe and support us. But right before my uncle was imprisoned, there was a car accident."

"This car?" Daisy asks, patting the dashboard.

"Yeah. I used to race cars to get some extra cash, and on that night my brother tagged along. As we were driving back from the race - I had won - the loser and a bunch of his buddies tracked us down and rammed into us. I tried to keep control, but we were pushed into a railing and the car flipped."

Robbie stops suddenly, as if he can't go on. Daisy reaches over and puts a hand on his leg and squeezes gently. "What happened next?" she questions softly.

"Gabe was pinned under. He couldn't move his legs anymore. I was thrown out of the car and I hit the pavement hard. Too hard." He shakes his head. "I had to have died. I'm not sure, though; everything was dark and I was alone. All I could think of was that I wanted a second chance. I wanted to avenge the wrongs done to my brother and me, and I wanted to live."

Daisy can't entirely believe this. People don't die and come back to life. This is reality. Robbie must have just hit his head really hard.

"A voice asked me if I was willing to do anything to get a second chance. I swore an oath, and then I woke up. I was alive, but at a terrible cost."

"Robbie? Who did the voice belong to?"

He's silent for a long moment before answering. "The devil. He takes control of me when I go to serve out punishment and vengeance. It's hard for me to control it. It's why I have no choice."

Daisy doesn't believe in those kind of things. There must be a rational explanation for what he experiences. But even she can't deny that he does seem to become a completely different person at times. Those must be when the "devil" takes over.

"How long is...the devil in you for?" she asks.

"Until I finish getting vengeance for my brother and I. I think once Fifth Street and Segundo Cielo are destroyed I'll be free." Robbie has a determined expression on his face. "I'm tired of living with this in me. I'm ready to finish my business and part ways. I want to live a normal life again."

Daisy can understand what that's like in her own way. When the drug had been in her, she simultaneously wanted it out and wanted more. It ruined her life but helped her. Both a curse and a cure.

"I'm here for you, whatever happens or however long it takes to get it out," she promises.

He looks at her with what she thinks is gratitude. "That means a lot, Daisy. Thanks."

"Can I ask you one more question?"

"Yeah."

She thinks for a moment on how to word it. "There was one guy who used to work for you, but I haven't seen him in a while...what happened to him?"

It had been pretty suspicious. One day he'd been there, the next gone. A few days later the new kid takes his place. Daisy had been wondering for awhile what had happened.

Robbie sighs, and he doesn't look her in the eyes. "He was a member of Segundo Cielo. He was one of the people involved in your kidnapping. I had no choice but to…" He trails off, reluctant to finish.

Daisy feels horrible for him. From what she's seen, his crew is pretty close to him. That type of betrayal must have been so hard.

Robbie just keeps suffering. The cost of doing good and getting vengeance is hurting him more than helping.

Daisy puts her palm against the side of his face, forcing him to look at her. "Please don't tell me you did that for my sake," she begs.

"I would have had to do it anyways. The devil was always itching to take care of him. Hurting you was just a catalyst."

He looks so pained. Daisy feels her heart clench inside her chest. How can she be happy when he's not?

"Promise you won't do anything for me that will get you hurt in the end." She stares at him with what she hopes is intensity. He needs to know she's serious.

The corner of his lips twitch in something that's halfway between a wry smile and a grimace. "You know I can't make that promise," he replies.

She wants to be mad at him, but how can she? He likes her so much that he's unable to not put himself in pain for her.

"I was really worried about you tonight," she admits. "I thought the police were going to shoot first and ask questions later."

"Thanks for bailing me out. They were about to shoot, but you came just in time." He smiles a little. "Even if you scratched up my car."

A sudden thought occurs to Daisy. "You weren't going to let them arrest you," she accuses, sitting back suddenly. "You would have rather them shoot you then take you in."

He doesn't say anything, confirming her suspicions. He just sits there, a slightly shameful look on his face.

"I can't believe you," she hisses in anger. Words don't even begin to cover how she feels.

He had promised her he wouldn't put himself in a situation like that. Sometimes surrender is necessary to stay alive.

Daisy had almost lost Robbie because he wasn't willing to surrender. How could she have kept going after losing another person she cares about? Especially because he's the one who helped pull her out of her depression.

"Daisy, I can't be captured!" Robbie exclaims, grabbing her arm. "What would happen to Gabe?"

"He'd be upset, but less than if you died." Daisy roughly wrenches her arm out of his grip and opens the car door forcefully. "Lincoln died because he stood up to the gunmen. If he had just dropped his blade he would still be alive today. I would rather have him living with a little regret than dead with dignity. But apparently all guys are the same."

She slams the door shut behind her and stalks towards the apartment.

-

As soon as she brings up Lincoln, Robbie understands how enormous his mistake is. He feels awful for preferring death to arrest. Lincoln had died the same way Robbie had been thirty seconds from; no wonder she's pissed.

Robbie follows, a half minute behind her. He practically runs up the steps, skipping every other, and manages to catch her in the kitchen.

"Daisy, I'm sorry - "

He cuts off when she turns to glare at him with puffy, red-rimmed eyes. Seeing her like that is a knife to the stomach. Knowing he's the reason for her pain is a shot to the heart.

"How can you expect me to keep my promise if you can't keep yours?" she demands, her voice muted. "Trust is a two-way street. I can't trust you if you're just going to run straight into the barrel of someone's gun."

"It won't happen again," Robbie promises, stepping closer to her. "I'll make sure of it."

"Will you?" She angrily wipes at her face. "You have no control of what happens when you go out. You don't even know what you're looking for. Don't make me promises you can't keep, Reyes."

She won't even use his first name. Ouch.

"What else do you want me to do?" he asks, frustrated. "You don't trust my promises, you won't accept my apologies - what do you want?"

Her face just crumbles in a mix of anger and heartbreak. "You don't understand anything!" she shouts. "That's the problem. You don't know people, and you don't know love. You have no idea why I'm hurting, and you don't even realize that you're the cause."

"Oh, so just because you had a perfect relationship with the perfect guy means you know everything about love? Well, I hate to break it to you, niña, but most people aren't perfect. You had something good and you lost it so that gives you the right to suddenly know loss and pain? Everyone loses people and things in life. None of us walk around acting like we know it all."

She steps closer, her face livid. "Ah, yes, because you reacted to your losses so well. 'I'll just sell my soul to Satan, nothing can surely go wrong with that!'"

"At least I did something. You just gave up! You know how pitiful you looked that night when I picked you up off the streets?"

"Don't patronize me. You offered to help me. I didn't realize that would lead to you using it against me because you have nothing else to throw in my face. And I did exactly the same thing as you, just without losing my soul in the process." She crosses her arms. "I'm sure pitiful girls spy on tough guys like you and force themselves into dangerous partnerships."

Robbie just feels like getting everything off his chest right now. This is a no-holds barred argument. The stuff they're throwing at each other is low, but neither cares. "You're right. How could a girl whose mother was a member of Segundo Cielo and who killed her own husband be pitiful?"

And that is where he crosses the line of no return. Daisy is shocked silent for a long moment before coming up with her own equally atrocious words.

"And of course the nephew of a murderer is destined to follow in his uncle's footsteps. I bet your father was just as bad, too."

Robbie grabs her arms and pushes her back against the door frame. "Don't ever speak about my family like that," he warns, his voice icy cold. Inside, his veins are thrumming with fiery anger and tension, but he manages to rein it in.

"So it's okay for you to talk about mine like that?" Daisy doesn't back down. "Everything's fair in this fight. Unless you want to take a time-out to recover and talk about the rules?"

Her tone is dripping with sarcasm, her expression taunting. It pisses Robbie off that she's not even mad anymore.

"Oh wait," she suddenly adds, "I almost forgot. This is your house, so we go by your rules. Silly me. Am I going to get kicked out again?"

"I don't know, are you going to get addicted to drugs again?" he shoots back.

She tries to shove him back, but she's trapped against the door and much weaker than him. "Let me out."

"You're at the door. Let yourself out." He doesn't move, and now she gets visibly frustrated.

"I hate you," she declares. "I hate you more than anyone else."

"I'm sure you do. That's why you stick around."

She pushes against him and kisses him hard. It's just as hot as their argument, and almost against his will he responds.

She pushes him back, and this time he allows it. Within a few seconds he's the one with his back to the door.

Daisy releases him and glares at him. "I hate you," she repeats, and she slaps him across the face. It doesn't hurt that much; in fact, Robbie's pretty sure it does more damage to her hand than his face. But her point is crystal clear.

When she stomps to her room, he doesn't stop her.

One thing's certain: she really is just as clever as Gabe in some ways.

And another thing is also for sure: the argument exhausts him. He heads to his room and falls asleep almost immediately, not even bothering to change out of his jeans and jacket.

If there's one thing he hates more than his night job, it's fighting with her.


	27. Conversations and Confessions

Disclaimer: All rights belong to Disney, Marvel, and all the men and women that created the Agents of SHIELD TV shows, and comics. I take no credit, and I do not mean to break any copyright rules. This is simply a work of fiction made for enjoyment. No money is being made.

Rating: T for dark themes, graphic violence, mentions of torture, drug abuse, supernatural violence, major character death, and minor language

Chapter 27: Conversations and Confessions

Daisy keeps it together long enough to close the door behind her before a fresh wave of tears start. It's ridiculous for her to cry, and she hates doing it, especially since he called her pitiful, but it's been an emotional day.

And although she hates to admit it, this is a phase she goes through during every one of her relationships. She doesn't fight with people unless she cares about them.

If course, with Lincoln it had not been so bad. Lincoln was almost always calm. At first he'd raised his voice, but after about two minutes he cooled down and just took what she had to say calmly.

She has to admit it isn't as satisfying when the other person doesn't fight back. Because sometimes, when your emotions are stretched and your nerves frayed, you just really want to fight.

Robbie had given her a hell of a fight. Too much of one.

But apparently being worried about SHIELD getting on Robbie's back, getting excited for a night mission, being worried again about Robbie, then excited and terrified about a car chase, then feeling bad for Robbie, then angry at him, then attracted, then angry again - apparently all that still isn't enough to completely drain her because here she is, sobbing on her bed.

It's not really a self-pity cry, either. It's just the effect of the day's highs and lows mixed in with some grief over Lincoln and anger at Robbie. There's no other way to express the emotions except to cry it out.

There's some worry, too; what if she had gone too far and now Robbie wants nothing to do with her? In hindsight, bringing up his parents and uncle and insinuating that they're murderers was a little more than far, but he was throwing some equally harsh things back at her.

This isn't the end of whatever they are, is it? Daisy feels a pang in her heart at the thought of losing him. They've only known each other for a few weeks, but with all that's happened, it feels like years.

She can't even remember Lincoln's face clearly anymore, and her parents are a distant and rare thought. Has she really moved on from everything in her past? She wouldn't have thought that possible.

Maybe she's moved on from them, but there's no way she can keep going if she loses Robbie. He's all she has left now. Even if she has absolutely no idea where they stand in relation to each other.

They're definitely more than friends, but how much more?

Part of Daisy wants to crawl out of her room and apologize to Robbie immediately. Her pride won't quite let her do that, so she stays where she is, feeling just as miserable as before.

He can't be too mad at her, though, right? He did kiss her back. Of course, she had only initiated it to distract him so she could escape, but even she could feel the heat between them. Surely that won't all disappear because of one little - okay, big - fight.

There's a light knock on her door. Daisy's heart beats faster. It must be Robbie. But what is he going to say to her? Is he going to forgive her for her words? Or is he going to kick her out?

What if he's mad and he only has more mean things to say?

She can't avoid confrontation forever, so she wipes at her face and opens the door.

To her surprise, it's not Robbie but Gabe. Sometimes she forgets he still lives here. Ever since she made him think she and Robbie were sleeping together he's kept his distance from both of them.

"Can I come in?" he asks. She notices he's in his PJs and his hair is messy.

"Sure." She stands to the side and opens the door all the way. "What are you doing up this late?"

He looks a little sheepish. "You and Robbie practically screaming at each other kinda woke me up."

Daisy puts her hand up to her face. "I'm sorry, Gabe. That was inconsiderate. And on a school night, too."

"It's fine. But what were you guys doing out so late?" He pauses, then shakes his head. "Never mind. I don't want to know."

Daisy can't help a small smile. "We're not sleeping together, by the way."

"You're not?"

She shakes her head, feeling very amused. "I only made you assume that because you were manipulating me and I wanted to get back at you."

"That's only fair," he says. "Sorry about that, by the way. I won't do it again."

"Thanks. And for your information, Robbie and I go out and drive around the city at night. It's...relaxing." Even as she says it she thinks about the police chase. Relaxing is the furthest thing from the truth. "We also like to talk."

"That didn't go too well tonight," he observes dryly.

She sighs. "No, it didn't."

"What were you guys fighting about, if you don't mind me asking?"

She wants to tell him the truth, but she can't. Not until Robbie is ready to fess up. It's his secrets, not hers. "It's complicated," she says instead. "Sometimes I worry about him and things he does, and he doesn't understand why I worry. He thinks he's indestructible. Either that or he just doesn't care about what happens to him."

Gabe nods. "I get it. I feel the same way. Robbie doesn't like sharing his burdens with other people. He just bottles things up."

"Yeah, well, don't ever tell him that," she replies wryly. "Unless you want a fight."

"It didn't seem to end too badly," Gabe teases. Daisy reaches over and smacks him on the arm.

"Don't get any ideas. And it didn't end as well as it may have looked." Although talking to Gabe has made her feel better, the lingering negative emotions of the fight still fill her. "Why didn't you go see Robbie?"

"He's asleep. And even if he wasn't, he's not exactly the type to want to talk about it. Besides, I figured you probably wanted a friend more."

Daisy smiles a little bit. "Thanks, Gabe. I do feel better."

"Well, we're going to have to get used to each other. I get the feeling you're going to be around for a while."

"If Robbie doesn't kick me out in the morning," Daisy murmurs. "He was really mad."

"He almost never yells," Gabe adds helpfully. "So yeah, he was." He pauses to think. "If he kicks you out I'll threaten to move out with you. Then he'll have to let you stay."

"An infallible plan," she says sarcastically. "But it would be nice if you could put in a good word for me."

"It would be nice if you stayed. I like eating non-expired, edible food. It's healthier. Plus you're fun to talk to."

"I'm glad I'm so useful and appreciated," she remarks dryly. Then she glances at the clock. "It's really late, Gabe. You have school tomorrow."

He rolls his eyes. "Yes, mother."

"Oh, this is only the beginning, dear."

After she closes the door behind him she curls up in her bed. She's exhausted, but her mind is still running a mile a minute.

If only she could stop worrying about Robbie Reyes.

-

Robbie is working with his crew on a motorcycle when he hears the apartment door open and close. Gabe had already headed off for school, so it must be Daisy.

He ignores the sound and focuses on his work. Francisco, of course, notices.

"¿Que tal?" he asks Robbie quietly.

"Nada." He keeps his eyes down and his hands working.

"Don't give me that crap. I know you better." Francisco turns to watch something, presumably Daisy. "Ah. You two are fighting."

Why does he have to be so clever? Robbie wants to avoid this whole situation, as least as long as he can. "That's not any of your business."

Francisco frowns at him. "Must be horrible," he comments.

"If you're fighting, it means it's serious," Manuel remarks in Spanish from the other side of the motorcycle.

"It's complicated," Robbie grumbles as wrenches a rusted screw out.

"Before he met that girl, he never smiled. Nunca," Francisco tells the new guy, Alejandro. "Now he isn't so grumpy, unless they fight."

Alejandro grins. "She is pretty."

"Looks aren't everything," Robbie states. "You have to like what's inside."

"You're getting sentimental," Francisco teases.

"It's the same with a car," Robbie continues, covering up his tracks. "It can look great on the outside, but if the engine is crap, then it isn't worth anything."

Alejandro laughs a little. He's a good kid, one of Francisco's friends' son. Just out of high school and trying to get out of the streets. Robbie likes him. He brings a positive energy to their group. (God knows someone has to, to balance out Robbie's negativity).

"You tried," the boy tells Francisco.

The latter turns back to Robbie. "You're going to apologize and make it up, ¿sí? If not for you then for us."

Robbie exhales deeply. He's not sure yet what he's going to do. He really likes Daisy, that much is certain, and he doesn't want to lose her. But he feels shameful for what he said, and he's not sure how to apologize. Admitting your mistakes is one of the hardest things ever.

"I don't know if she wants me anymore," he admits. "We both said some awful things."

Francisco puts a hand on his shoulder. "If she hasn't moved out yet then it means she still has hope. Don't give up on a fight that's worth something."

He and Daisy have been going back and forth since day one. Is there an end to the cycle or is it going to always be like this? He doesn't want to keep fighting her. He fights enough people as it is.

Maybe they're just in a rocky part of their relationship right now. Once they get past this point everything will be fine. Hopefully.

"How do you know if the fight is worth it?" he asks.

"How do you feel about losing her?" Francisco says instead.

Thinking about losing her...just the thought makes his chest hurt. She brings so much color into his life. And her and him and Gabe all make a small, dysfunctional family he can't imagine living without. It's funny how a little time can stretch into an infinity.

"I don't want to think about that," Robbie replies, shaking his head.

"I think you know the answer, then," Alejandro says.

"But nobody wants to end their relationships. How do you know if she's the one?"

Francisco shrugs. "Only you can know that, Robbie. We can't help you with that one. But from what I've seen of you before and after her, she's really changed you. You seem better with her."

The man heads into the garage to grab some tools. He passes the Dodge - Robbie notices now that Daisy took her own car to work - and crouches down to look at something.

"What is it?" Robbie calls out.

Francisco walks back out. "What happened to Lucy?" he asks. "Her bumper's all dented and scratched up. Who did that?"

Robbie sighs. "That was Daisy."

The other man stares at him with wide eyes. "She hurt your car...and you let her stay?"

Robbie nods, a little confused. "Of course. I can fix the car. It's not even that bad."

Francisco shakes his head. "I take back what I said about not knowing how to tell if she's the one. You never let anyone touch that car, let alone drive it, but you let her drive it. And even after she banged it up, you aren't even upset. I'd say she's the one."

"The car is just a car," Robbie says. "Yeah, it's important to me, but it can't keep me company."

"Oh, yeah," Francisco replies. "You're in deep for that girl. Don't let her go."

At this point, he's willing to suck in his pride and apologize to her. Robbie doesn't plan on losing her.


	28. Ghosts and Gifts

Disclaimer: All rights belong to Disney, Marvel, and all the men and women that created the Agents of SHIELD TV shows, and comics. I take no credit, and I do not mean to break any copyright rules. This is simply a work of fiction made for enjoyment. No money is being made.

Rating: T for dark themes, graphic violence, mentions of torture, drug abuse, supernatural violence, major character death, and minor language

Author's Note: Sorry that I've been terrible about updating lately! 

 

Chapter 28: Ghosts and Gifts

Coulson calls another team meeting the next day at work. Daisy is exhausted from the night's activities and a general lack of sleep, but she grabs a coffee from the break room and joins the others.

She stands next to Jemma and Fitz again. The scientist looks at her with concern.

"You look utterly drained," Jemma observes. "The bags are your eyes are making me tired just by looking at them."

"Thanks," Daisy replies.

Simmons frowns. "Are you sure you're okay?"

Daisy shrugs. "I just had a rough night."

"No kidding," Fitz says, jumping into the conversation. "What happened?"

"My...boyfriend and I got in a fight." She crosses her arms. "It's nothing."

"You just crossed your arms. That's a defensive move. Obviously everything isn't alright," Jemma argues.

"We can have a little chat with him if need be," Fitz offers.

"Thanks, but no thanks. I'm sure it will be fine."

Still, Daisy is touched by their caring. Maybe she isn't so alone. Now she has two more friends, even if they aren't as close as Robbie and Gabe.

Coulson gets everyone's attention. "The reason I called you in is because there's a breakthrough in our mission." He sweeps his hands over the holotable and news reports come to life in front of them.

"The Ghost Rider was in action last night," May continues. "There was a fire fight between a couple of cops and some gang members."

"Our neighborhood vigilante showed up and killed all the gang members," Coulson picks up. "Saved the police officer's lives. However, he isn't considered a friendly. The police tried to arrest him, and an accomplice drove in to pick him up and save the day."

"Accomplice?" Mack asks.

"Yes. There was someone in the car who managed to pick him up and outrun the two police cruisers on the scene. They damaged a third car who had tried to corner them. No one was hurt, but both are them are considered armed and dangerous."

Daisy manages to keep a complete poker face. "Did the police have a description of either the Ghost Rider or the accomplish?" she questions.

"The car was a black Dodge. Unfortunately the exact year is unknown, but it's an older one. The license plate was obscured." Coulson shakes his head. "I could've identified that car."

Mack gets a thoughtful look on his face. Daisy remembers driving the Dodge in one day. No matter how dangerous Robbie thinks driving her car is, it's not as risky as driving his now.

"The Ghost Rider is described as a Hispanic or Latino man," May adds. "Not much more is known, since all of those cops were white and it was dark out." Her voice has a tinge of sarcasm in it.

"The accomplish was not seen," Coulson adds. "At least not well-enough for identification."

"A Hispanic or Latino man?" Jemma asks. "Great. That narrows it down to about twenty-five percent of L.A., or approximately one million people. And if he's not even from L.A., then the numbers grow even bigger."

"There's never been any mention of an accomplice before," Fitz states. "Something's changed."

"Like what?" Coulson looks at Fitz. "What are you thinking?"

"Just think about," the engineer says. "In all the many reports of the Ghost Rider over the last couple years, it's just been him. Now all of a sudden there's someone else? Something has changed."

"You might be onto something, Turbo," Mack agrees. He enlarges a news report hovering over the table. "This is also the first time anyone has seen his face before. He never gets himself involved in police skirmishes."

"We just need to find out what changed," Coulson orders. "Then we can find him."

"I'll make a list of everyone within fifty miles of the skirmish who has a Dodge that matches the description," Daisy offers.

"That's a good idea," Coulson compliments. "Fitz, run the description that we have through the computer databases. See if we can narrow down the potential suspects. Simmons, I want you and Radcliffe and May to go down to the crime scene and see if you can get any forensic clues."

The team scatters. Daisy starts working on her list, purposefully leaving Robbie's name off. She suggested that this be her assignment for that one specific reason.

She feels bad for lying, but Robbie is more important to her, even if she and him are in the middle of a fight. He saved her life more than once; now it's her turn to repay the favor.

"Do you think we'll find the Ghost Rider?" she asks Fitz, who's working a few feet away.

"Eventually, yeah," he answers. "Everyone makes a mistake sooner or later. We just have to make sure we're ready for when he does."

"But he hasn't been caught for years, if these reports are true." Daisy scrolls through a web page of "Ghost Rider sightings".

"Letting the police see his face was a big mistake. Maybe his first. He's just lucky his accomplice saved his arse. If you ask me, I think he's losing his touch. The reason they never caught him in the early days was because he killed anyone who saw him. Now he's been seen more and more often."

"Maybe he's just tired of doing what he does." Daisy looks over at the engineer. "I would be."

"If he's tired of killing people then he should turn himself in. Prison isn't all that bad. And I doubt he'd get the death sentence since he only kills criminals."

"He probably has a family," she muses. "Everyone has somebody."

Fitz turns to stare at her. "It doesn't matter who he has. All that matters is that he's breaking the law and he needs to accept the penalty of his actions. Anyone can go out and kill people and be justified in their own mind, but there would be chaos. Rules are in place for a reason."

"I suppose you're right." Daisy does agree that if you kill someone, you should pay for your crime. But that's why the Ghost Rider exists; he gets the bad guys the police can't.

And at the end of the day, it isn't really Robbie that's killing those people. It's whatever is possessing him.

But he can't be caught, because the police won't make that distinction when they read out his rights as they arrest him.

-

Robbie closes up early so he can work on his own car and be free for when Daisy comes back.

He knows using the Dodge is dangerous for both of them now; surely the police made a note of it in their files. And Daisy's car is too dangerous for her to use; Segundo Cielo knows it belongs to her, and they know the Ghost Rider is connected to her. He doesn't count it below them to use her against him again.

Luckily, as a mechanic, he knows people willing to sell cars. Just that day a customer had come in with a beater car, asking how much the car is worth and if it would be worth it to fix it first then sell it.

Robbie, of course, knows that with a lot of his clients, the bulk of the charge is for the labor itself, not the parts. So he offered the price the guy wanted, knowing the cost to fix it himself would be pretty low.

The car is an old Chevy Impala. Robbie always had a soft spot for those. It's a royal blue color that sparkles in the sun - or at least it will, once he cleans it up.

The job is quick. After he fixes it up he parks his Dodge deep into the garage, out of sight. Until things blow over, Lucy's only going to be used for night missions.

He keeps the Impala out in the open parking spot. Hopefully Daisy won't be alarmed at seeing the strange car.

He brings the hose and some dish soap over and starts scrubbing at the dirt streaks all over the car. Obviously its previous owner had lived out in the country, not in the city.

There are a few rusts spots that are uncovered as he works, but nothing too serious. For the price he paid, this is a pretty good deal.

He's working on the hood when she returns, parking her car in the adjacent spot. He looks up and sets his cleaning rag down, then dries his hands on his jeans.

He's nervous for this discussion. Now that he's cooled down about the fight, he realizes how cruel he had been. He just wants to apologize and have the whole affair be forgotten about. But what if she isn't over it? What if she's ready to fight more?

She doesn't look mad as she steps out of her car. Instead of going straight into the house she wanders over to the Impala, her hands shoved in her pockets. She examines the car for a few minutes in silence.

"Do you like it?" he asks tentatively, breaking the quiet.

She walks around the side of the car. "One of my foster parents had a car like this. He was super protective about it."

She doesn't sound upset. This is a good start.

"I bought it off one of my customers today." Robbie reaches in his pocket for the keys, and tosses it to her. She catches it, a quizzical look on her face.

"It's for you."

"You didn't have to buy me a car to make up for our fight," she says, running her fingertips across the frame of the car.

"As sweet as that would be, that's not the reason I bought it. You can't drive your car without being in danger, and neither of us can drive the Dodge anymore, so I bought a third one. Just until the whole gang situation is cleared up."

"That makes a bit more sense." She pockets the keys and keeps walking around the car slowly. She's almost to him.

He clears his throat. "About last night -"

She cuts him off before he can continue. "It's fine, Robbie. I started it. Sometimes I just can't communicate what I'm feeling properly." She steps right next to him, so that only a few inches separate them.

"But I broke my promise. And I'm extremely sorry about it. I'll keep my word from now on." He stares down at her, the hole in his chest already feeling less empty.

"It's not my place to dictate how you should live your life. If you choose to fight to the end instead of surrendering, that's your choice. It was wrong of me to make you promise otherwise." Daisy takes his hands in hers. "If you believe in something strongly enough to die for it, then I shouldn't hold you back."

"Why would I die for something when there's someone even more important to live for?" he replies. Her small smile warms his whole body up and sets his nerves on fire.

She leans forward and kisses him lightly. When she steps back she releases his hands and walks back around the car. "I really like it," she says. "Even if it's not really a make-up gift."

"It can be," he teases, walking the opposite way around the car towards her.

"Too late. You can get me something else, though." She smiles at him as she just skips out of his reach.

"You already said I didn't have to get you a make-up gift." Robbie leans against the car and watches her.

"No, I said you didn't have to get me a car." She grins. "I have other ideas. Some of them are expensive."

"Yeah, good luck with that," he scoffs. "You should just be happy having me around."

"I am. But why stop there?" Her eyes sparkle with excitement. He loves when she looks like this.

"What do you want?" he asks, playing along.

"We should go out tonight," she suggests. "Just me and you."

"We do that already," he points out.

She shakes her head. "Not a mission. We should just go out and do something in the city. I've only been in downtown L.A. a couple times. I'm sure you know all the good places to go."

The idea of them spending time together not chasing criminals and getting shot at is alluring, he has to admit. And after just making up, it seems like a good idea. "Okay. But most of L.A. is nightclubs or casinos."

"We'll go somewhere else. I'm not really into dancing or gambling."

Robbie feel relieved when she says that. He's not into those kind of things, either. "I have an idea. But it's secret," he adds.

"How mysterious. And exciting." Daisy wipes some hair out of her face. "What about Gabe?"

"We'll just order him some pizza and let him stay here alone. He'll be fine."

"Then it's a plan," she says. She heads into the apartment. Robbie watches her until she disappears, more relieved than he can admit. And not only did he clear up their fight, he also managed to get a date.

Normal isn't something Robbie would describe himself as, but maybe this is foreshadowing his future. Maybe once the whole gang thing is cleared up and his deal with the devil done, he and Daisy can be a normal couple.

For once in his life, Robbie has a reason to have hope.


	29. Meetings and Movies

Disclaimer: All rights belong to Disney, Marvel, and all the men and women that created the Agents of SHIELD TV shows, and comics. I take no credit, and I do not mean to break any copyright rules. This is simply a work of fiction made for enjoyment. No money is being made.

Rating: T for dark themes, graphic violence, mentions of torture, drug abuse, supernatural violence, major character death, and minor language

 

Chapter 29: Meetings and Movies

Daisy decides on wearing nice jeans and a casual black top, an outfit that can fit almost any situation. And for the few places it won't fit, she highly doubts Robbie will take her there.

Inside, she's bursting with excitement. This is a step forward in their relationship. Yeah, things between them started off pretty backwards, but now everything is aligning itself in their favor.

She had always thought Lincoln was the one for her, but now she's starting to have second thoughts. Every moment with or away from Robbie is filled with more infinities than anything with Lincoln had been. Her emotions are much more vivid, and Robbie brings out a part of her that she didn't know existed.

On the outside, she keeps her cool. She walks slowly down the stairs and keeps her face passive.

Gabe is waiting in the kitchen. "Don't look so excited," he says sarcastically. "It almost looks like you want to go."

"Shut up," she replies, not unfriendly. "You almost look happy for us."

"I'm glad you two aren't going to scream at each at three in the morning," he admits. "And I'm glad to have the whole house to myself."

"Sure." Daisy picks her phone and purse up from the table. "Is Robbie outside already?"

"Yeah."

She heads down the stairs and out into the parking lot. Robbie is sitting on the hood of the Impala, dressed in his typical jacket, jeans, and black and white sneakers. At least the jeans look clean.

"I see you dressed up for the occasion," she remarks as she passes him. He smiles a little and follows her, opening the passenger door. She slides in the seat and looks up at him.

He simply shrugs. "You wouldn't want me any other way," he replies, shutting her door and walking around to slide into the driver's seat. "I thought we'd give her a test drive."

"Ah. So you're going to crash us and our real time together is going to be adjacent beds in the hospital," she says.

"It wouldn't be too bad," he says, starting up the car. The engine sputters, then roars to life.

"I guess not," she admits. "At least I'd have a good view."

"But I'm going to show you a better view tonight. Once it gets dark out, at least."

Daisy looks out the window at the darkening sky. It's beautiful. Whatever Robbie going to show her must be amazing if it rivals the setting sun.

"I hope you like spicy food," he says a few minutes later as he pulls into the parking lot of a Mexican restaurant.

"Oh, yeah." Daisy steps out into the fresh air and takes it all in. "At one of my foster homes, the kid poured hot sauce in my chili at dinner. It was the really strong stuff. He hoped it would burn my mouth, but it didn't faze me one bit."

"I bet he wasn't very happy about that," Robbie replies.

"Nope. But his face was hilarious." Daisy grabs his hand. "But enough about the past. Let's enjoy the present while we can."

The restaurant is loud and filled with people. They manage to get a corner seat far away from the bar, which is currently a hotspot. Some famous sports teams must be playing tonight. Every so often the bar crowd either yells or groans in unison.

"So tell me," Daisy begins, leaning forwards, her elbows on the table. "Is Robbie your real name?"

"It's short for Roberto," he admits. "But no one calls me that."

"Interesting." She takes a long sip of her water. He watches her the entire time. "What?"

"Daisy isn't your real name, is it?" he asks.

"Why would you say that?"

"It doesn't suit you very well." Robbie folds his hands. "Sometimes you have a delayed reaction to it. It's more of a recent change, I'm guessing."

He's just as smart as Gabe in some ways. He deserves this truth. "When I was born, my parents were separated from me. They lived in a small village in China that was attacked. I ended up in an orphanage with no identification. As you've probably noticed, I look more American than Chinese, so I was brought back to America. They gave me the legal name of Mary Sue Poots."

She watches with amusement as he smiles and even laughs a little at that name. "That's a terrible name," he admits. "Why would they do that to you?"

She shrugs. "I'm not sure. It is a bit cruel. But I went by Skye through most of my life."

"I like that. I think Skye suits you. But Daisy is the name your parents called you when they finally found you."

She nods. "I changed it for them. They wouldn't call me anything else."

"If you don't think it fits you, then why do you keep it?"

A good question. Daisy has asked herself that many times. "To remind me of what I'm not," she finally answers. "My mother always said I was like a delicate Daisy. But I don't really see myself as delicate."

Robbie shakes his head. "No, you're not. I can't imagine anyone saying that about you."

"Before Lincoln died, I was more delicate. Death changes you." She takes a deep breath. "But enough about me. Are you going to tell me what we're doing next?"

Robbie grins. "Nope. You'll just have to wait."

"I hate waiting." Daisy tries to pout, but he stays firm.

"Then it will be good practice."

"Thanks, Mom," she mutters. Robbie just rolls his eyes.

By the time they finish eating, it's completely dark outside. Robbie drives her somewhere strange. After they pass all the nightclubs, he tells her to close her eyes.

"Don't ask why," he orders. "Just do it."

Daisy follows directions, although she doesn't like being blind. She trusts Robbie, though.

"Okay," he says, and she feels the car stop a few minutes later. "Keep your eyes closed, but be ready to walk."

She hears her door being opened, and Robbie's hand on her arm. She carefully steps out, her eyes still closed tightly.

"No peeking," he says.

"Don't let me fall," she warns.

He walks slightly behind her, one hand on each side of her arms to guide her. She likes being close enough to feel his body heat. Even though she feels awkward without her sight, she doesn't want the moment to end.

Finally he stops her. "Okay. You can open you eyes now."

She opens them and what she sees makes her jaw drop open. She spins in a circle, taking it all in.

"This is so amazing!"

-

Robbie watches her taking in the scene. The lights strung around the trees and the lampposts are beautiful against the black sky, but he can't take his eyes off of her.

He feels so happy as she spins around, examining it all. He never used to care what people think about him, but when she's involved he wants her to think well of him. And right now, seeing her joy at the lights and everything else, he feels pretty good.

"It's so beautiful!" She turns to him, the warm yellow lights surrounding them reflecting in her eyes. "How did you find out about this?"

"I read the newspapers. And the lights in the park event is a huge deal every year." He holds out his arm. "The whole path through the park is lined with lights. We can walk through it, if you want."

She walks over and takes his arm, pressing her whole side to his. "I love it!" she exclaims. "It reminds me of the one Christmas in my childhood where I was actually happy."

Christmas is a long time away, but Robbie vows to make it good for her this year. "Now you have another good memory of lights to add."

She smiles up at him. "Thank you so much. This is so cool."

They walk a few more feet before he replies. "Is it a good make-up gift?"

She rests her head against his shoulder. "Yeah. It is." She pauses for a minute before adding in a teasing voice, "We should get in fights more often."

As amusing as her joke is, Robbie is inclined to disagree. "Let's keep it at one, at least for a while."

They walk the whole length of the park together. The pathway is a circle, so eventually they end up back where they started.

"I hope you're not too tired, because we have one more stop." Robbie looks over at her and is pleased to see excitement.

"I have high standards from now on," she warns.

"Just you wait. They're about to get even higher." They get back in the car and drive to the other side of the park, outside the pathway of lights.

Against the brick wall of the maintenance building a projector is showing an old movie. About a half dozen other cars are there already, but Robbie still gets a good spot.

"A drive through movie?" Daisy asks, her voice in awe. "I didn't know they still had these."

"They're rare." Robbie parks, turns off the car, then opens his door. "But we're going to do this unconventionally."

Daisy follows his lead. He pulls an old quilt from the backseat and lays it on the grass in front of the hood.

"This is better," she admits, sitting down on it and leaning her back against the bumper. "Much better."

Robbie is really happy that this is perfect for them. After all the hardships that they've been through, it's nice to have something go right.

He sits down beside her. She scooches closer and leans her head in the space between the top of his shoulder and the crook of his neck. It's a perfect fit, as if it's meant to be. Robbie puts his arm around her shoulders, and they watch the old black and white movie together.

He doesn't really focus on the film, though. He thinks about how lucky he is to have her here with him. He likes the feeling of the warmth where they touch, and he likes having her in his arms.

The air is thin and slightly cool, but not enough to raise goosebumps on their skin. About half-way through the movie, Daisy brings her legs up and curls into his side even tighter.

They've both lost so much, yet here they are, relaxing under a full moon and a sky full of stars. It's a reminder that even though people you love die every single day, the earth keeps spinning. Life goes on. The world doesn't just end because something bad happens.

And even though bad things happen, good things happen, too. Like them. Out of all the people in the world, Robbie managed to bump into the one who makes him happier.

When the end credit scenes roll, Daisy sits up and turns to him. "It was nice to escape the real world for a few hours. Thanks for everything."

"I wish we could do this every night, instead of our other job," he admits. "But we can only hide for so long."

"Hey," she says softly, cupping his face in her cool hands and forcing him to look at her in the eyes. "We'll finish up the whole gang mess soon. And then every day can be like this. We can make things better for both of us."

He sees the universe in her eyes. Timeless and endless, and knowing all. He starts to believe her. "Yeah. Soon."

She smiles, and even though it's night out, the sun is shining. "Good."

They fold the blanket back up and get back in the car. Robbie doesn't want to go back home. He's afraid everything will all fall apart when he does.

"I'm not ready for this night to end," Daisy says aloud.

"Me either," Robbie agrees, relieved that he's not just being paranoid. Both of them know reality is going to set in when they finally go back.

"Please tell me you have something more planned," she says, turning to him with begging eyes.

"They say sometimes spontaneous decisions are the best," he replies. "Where do you want to go?"

"Are there any good ice cream places around?" she asks.

Turns out there's a dairy queen not too far away that's still open despite the late hour. They walk the streets, milkshakes in one hand, their other hands entwined together.

"Can we say we're officially together now?" she questions, sipping from her Styrofoam cup.

"I guess. I've never really done this relationship thing before," Robbie admits. "And I would bet our situation is unique."

"Yeah, I think you're right about that. But I need a term to describe you with for my co-workers. It's a bit awkward to say 'the guy I live with and sometimes make-out with and am attracted to but not dating'. Boyfriend is much easier and raises less questions." She smiles a little. "But you've never been in a relationship before?"

He shrugs. "I mean, I had flings with a few girls, but nothing was ever serious or lasted long. Once I dropped out of high school to work I stopped coming into contact with any girls. And after the accident, when I became the Ghost Rider, dating was out of the question."

"Makes sense." Daisy stares ahead in silence for a while. Robbie wonders what she's thinking.

"What's your work like?" he asks. "How are your co-workers? I always imagined government workers as being strict and stern all the time."

Her face lights up a little. "They're actually really cool people. They weren't welcoming at first, but there's these two that are scientists who are really nice. I would call them friends. The main guy is pretty cool, too, but he has to be strict enough to be listened to. My CO is a complete badass, but even she has a subtle sense of humor." Daisy wrinkles her nose, and it's actually really cute in Robbie's opinion. "I think she and the boss are banging, but I would never say that to their faces."

"That sounds...interesting," he replies.

"It is. I never know what's going to happen. There's this other guy who's an engineer, and he's really into cars. Hopefully he doesn't remember the day I drove the Dodge to work. I think he's too busy trying to hook up with this other girl that occasionally gets called in for help."

"And I thought government agencies were no-nonsense." Robbie shakes his head. "This sounds like a drama-fest just waiting to happen."

"We're not really connected with the government, though. It's weird. We work for the feds, but we're separate. And there are other agents, but we're a team. Kinda like special forces." Daisy shrugs. "That's about all I can tell you."

"I'm glad you like it there. It can be hard finding a job you like nowadays."

"Almost as hard as finding someone you like." Daisy smiles up at him. "Guess I got lucky on both fronts."

They walk a little farther before finally resigning to go back. It is late out, after all. Gabe will be wondering where they went.

In the kitchen of the apartment a half hour later, Robbie is reluctant to say goodnight. It's been such a perfect time. Good things happen to him so rarely that he wants to hold onto them forever.

Daisy must sense his hesitation because she doesn't leave, either. The space between them is so heavy and quiet.

"What are we waiting for?" Daisy whispers. It's a good question. One Robbie doesn't have an answer to.

"Do you ever get a bad gut feeling about the future?" he asks.

She looks at him with concern. "What is yours telling you?"

"That we're running out of time." Robbie sighs. "It's probably nothing. I'm just tired."

"Don't wear yourself out. You're still human. You need sleep and rest." Daisy reaches up on her tiptoes and kisses his forehead. "Go to bed, Robbie. And thanks for the most wonderful night."

Although he hates to admit it, she's right. He needs sleep. This night has to end, as all good things do.

Still, he can't shake his gut feeling.


	30. Work and Water

Disclaimer: All rights belong to Disney, Marvel, and all the men and women that created the Agents of SHIELD TV shows, and comics. I take no credit, and I do not mean to break any copyright rules. This is simply a work of fiction made for enjoyment. No money is being made.

Rating: T for dark themes, graphic violence, mentions of torture, drug abuse, supernatural violence, major character death, and minor language

 

Chapter 30: Work and Water

"Any sightings of the Ghost Rider last night?" Daisy hears Mack ask Coulson and May when she walks into work.

"No. There was no footage from any of the traffic cameras, either. He must be lying low." Coulson sees her and nods in acknowledgment. "Daisy. Nice to see you."

"What's going on?" she asks, sensing a tension in the air.

"Segundo Cielo moved into an abandoned science laboratory. It was abandoned a couple years ago after the scientists there disappeared mysteriously. All their equipment is still there. We suspect they want to use it."

"For what?" Mack asks. "Why would gang members need science equipment?"

"We're not sure, but whatever it is must be serious." May messes with the tablet in her hands for a second. "They took hostages. Ten people from the nearby university."

"What do we do?" Daisy feels panicked. She had just graduated from college a few weeks ago. She was just weeks from potentially being one of those hostages.

"Nothing, right now." Coulson looks troubled by the predicament. "FitzSimmons is working on prepping the DWARFs - their computer operated drones. May, go make sure the STRIKE team is ready for a moment's notice. Mack, can you and Yo-Yo load the quinjet in case we get an all-clear?"

The agents scatter to get to work. Daisy and Coulson just stand there.

"I can search the structural schematics of the building, sir," she suggests. "See if there's any other way in or out besides the obvious."

"Good idea. And even if you can't find any alternatives, I want you to route an action path. Depending on what Fitz's drones find in there, we may need to risk sending in the STRIKE team."

It feels good to be useful, Daisy admits. She pulls up the building schematics on the holotable and uses the 3D technology to map her way through. With the help of the intel on the location of equipment and some strategic guesses, she estimates where the gang members are and where the hostages are.

Daisy does some digging in old files and finds that the facility was built in the seventies. There can easily be uncharted entrances, but where would she find them?

An idea pops into her mind. She heads to the lab, ducking to avoid getting hit by a flying drone as she enters.

"Sorry!" Fitz exclaims, recalling the probe.

She waves him off and weaves through the lab tables to the back, where Jemma is working on another drone.

"Can I borrow your science expertise for a few minutes?" she asks.

"I suppose." Simmons follows Daisy back into the other room, where the 3D blueprint of the building levitates.

"This is an old science lab," Daisy explains. "Would there be any rooms or halls or anything not shown for some reason?"

Jemma walks around the table, examining the schematics closely. "I'm not sure," she admits. "It's a possibility. Some scientists are crazy and unpredictable, especially when they stumble onto something big and get a God complex."

"There are scientists in Segundo Cielo. Real ones. When I was kidnapped, there were two of them who were trying different drugs on me and observing my behavior." The memory sends chills down her body, and suddenly she can't stop thinking about that drug.

Daisy isn't sure she'd be able to resist the temptation of it if it comes within her reach again.

"Human experimentation?" Jemma looks horrified. "That's terrible. I'm so sorry, Daisy."

She waves it away. "It's fine. I'm just worried about what they are trying to accomplish. Obviously it's serious if they have hostages to ensure they're left alone."

"You're right." Simmons paces in front of the table. "There's nothing we can do until we get some additional intel. I'm going to go help Fitz with the drones."

"I can help sync them to the quinjet and the main frame," Daisy offers.

"That would be appreciated." Daisy takes one last look at the blueprint before minimizing the holograms and following the scientist to the lab.

"How are these drones different from other government ones?" Daisy asks Fitz when they find him in the lab.

"I designed them myself. For one, they have reflector panels, which makes them completely invisible." Fitz calls one back by swirling his fingers on the large tablet in front of them, then he sticks out his palm for it to fall on. "Each one has different capabilities, and when they work together, we can get a reading on basically anything."

"So we can analyze what the scientists are working on?"

"If they can get close enough. But that would run the risk of them being seen. They're meant more for surveillance then identifying substances." Fitz sets the drone on the ground gently. "They won't be ready until tomorrow anyway, though."

"But what about the hostages? We need to save them!" Daisy looks between Fitz and Simmons, but neither of them catch her eye.

"Sometimes we have to be patient," Jemma finally says. "It's better to wait one day until we're ready than to just rush in without a plan."

Daisy can't stand for this. She knows how awful it is to be captured by that gang. It's dehumanizing and terrifying. Daisy doesn't doubt they're being subjected to the same drug treatment she received.

Luckily she knows someone willing to take a risk. "I'm calling it an early day," she tells them. "I'll see you guys tomorrow."

Looks like she and the Ghost Rider have another night mission to plan.

-

Robbie pulls the Dodge out of the garage that night. Gabe is already asleep, and Daisy is waiting in the parking lot, restlessly pacing. She's really concerned about these people.

Of course, she has every right to be. Robbie remembers how sick and weak she had been when he's finally rescued her from the same people. She'd barely been able to limp her way to freedom, even with him supporting her weight.

And the psychological effect still isn't completely healed.

He still doesn't understand why she can't just wait for her work friends to eliminate the problem, but he's willing to help. Besides, the devil in him has been itching to be set loose again.

Daisy slides in the passenger side, wearing her brass knuckles gloves and tucking a gun into her waistband. She looks up at him and smiles grimly.

Although he loves her genuine smile, he has to admit she looks really hot like this. He's never been into good girls, but why would he, when there's girls like Daisy in the world? She's tough, ready to fight, and not scared to get hurt. Perfect for the world they live in now.

"Just give me directions," he says starting the car.

"It's not too far." She stares straight ahead into the night before them.

"This is good," he tells her, breaking the silence. "You're saving them from the same fate you suffered."

"They shouldn't have been captured in the first place." She doesn't look at him when she speaks. "Even one day there is awful."

"We're going to get them out," he promises. He takes his hand off the clutch and sets it gently on her shoulder.

She just nods, still staring straight ahead. She's sitting so tensely that he wonders how she isn't cramping up.

Twenty minutes later, they're nearing the old lab. Robbie shuts off the headlights and maneuvers as close as he feels is safe before parking in some brush.

"Ready?" he asks her. She solemnly nods, and the two of them slip in through the back, Daisy leading the way.

The old padlock is rusted and Robbie kicks it a few times until it snaps. The door drifts open.

He takes point, Daisy just behind him, whispering directions in his ear. This hallway seems abandoned, the old metal rusted and dark. The whole place gives him an eery feeling.

"Where are they?" he asks her quietly as they walk.

"I estimated they set up shop in the east wing of the building. That's where the chem labs are." Daisy ducks under a hanging wire. "The rest of this is nearly unsalvageable. The whole skeleton is unstable and could collapse at any moment."

The walls suddenly seem to be closing in on the two of them. Great. Being crushed to death by a building sounds awful.

Robbie hears a dripping sound a few minutes later. He puts a hand up to stop Daisy, then he steps forward to touch the wall. It's slick with an unknown substance.

He takes his fingertip and sniffs it. His heart beats faster when he realizes what it is.

"Gas. Daisy, step back."

"What?"

"Step back!"

Robbie hears the footsteps a second later, but he can't focus on them because the whole wall suddenly lights up in flames. He jumps back, but the floor and the opposite walls are also on fire.

It's a circle of flames, and he's in the middle. On one side he sees Daisy - she's unharmed, thank God - and on the other side is a grinning gang member holding a sheet of matches.

"We knew you'd come, Ghost Rider," the man taunts. "And how better to fight fire with fire?"

"Robbie!" Daisy's voice causes him to turn and face her direction. Another gang member had snuck up behind her, one arm in an iron grip around her middle, the other hand pressing a knife to her throat.

"You brought your assistant along, too. How lovely." The first guy takes a step closer. "The first time we baited you, we were stupid. The trap was pathetic. But we've learned from our mistakes. We evolve.

"It's a shame that she's useless. We already have all the hostages we need. We'll kill her once this conversation is over. But you - no, we have great plans for you. You're a wanted criminal. We trade you for a blind eye to our acts. The police will leave us alone to plot and carry out our plans, and you'll be warming up a prison cell."

Robbie glances back at Daisy. She's struggling to free herself, but the guy must have taken her by surprise, because she can't wiggle out of his grasp.

That's when Robbie remembers the chain in his hand. Maybe he can't escape the circle of fire, but he doesn't need to in order to fight.

He flicks his wrist quickly towards the attacker holding Daisy. As the chain passes through the fire it lights up, and Daisy knows well enough to move her legs out of the way.

The fiery chain wraps about the guy's legs. He screams in pain and his hands drop from holding Daisy. As Robbie flicks his chain free and back towards him, she delivers a sturdy kick to the guy's face, knocking him clear out.

The crack of a gunshot reaches Robbie's ears and he drops to the ground. As he hits the deck, he whips his chain back the other side, knocking the gun from the second man's hand. Then he cracks it through the air, the flaming metal smashing into the man's skull.

There's still the little problem of Robbie being stuck in the circle of fire. The devil inside him tells him to just jump across, but Robbie isn't so sure that's a good idea. Maybe Satan is used to fire, but Robbie's all-too-human body might not take the heat so well.

"Daisy? You have any ideas?" he calls out over the roar of the fire around him. It's picking up, it seems. The air around him is dry, and he takes shallower breaths. Sweat is beginning to drip off his forehead.

"Just a second," she calls back. He can just barely see her clawing at something on the wall. "There's a pipe in the walls that still runs water here. I remember this in the blueprint. If I can just block off the pipe, the water pressure should build up and - "

The knob turns suddenly, and her momentum causes her to fall hard. Before she can get up again, the walls start to rumble.

The whole building around them shakes. Pieces of the ceiling flutter down on Robbie's shoulder. He hopes the walls don't collapse around them. Out of the frying pan and into the fire, they say.

The rusted metal along the walls suddenly explodes outward. Robbie ducks and covers his head with his arms, deflecting the shrapnel. He's hit with something that stings and burns.

Water rains down around him and around the whole hallways. Within seconds he's drenched, but so is the entire ring of fire around him. Robbie stands up, only to be bombarded with more water.

"It's going to just keep coming," Daisy informs him, popping up next to him. She's sopping wet, too, strands of hair stringing around her shoulders and in her face. "We need to keep going. They'll know we're here."

"We have to do this quickly. Do you know any secret passageways, by chance?"

She grins. "Not exactly secret, but how about little-known?"

He motions with his arm. "Lead the way."


	31. Hostage and Hope

Disclaimer: All rights belong to Disney, Marvel, and all the men and women that created the Agents of SHIELD TV shows, and comics. I take no credit, and I do not mean to break any copyright rules. This is simply a work of fiction made for enjoyment. No money is being made.

Rating: T for dark themes, graphic violence, mentions of torture, drug abuse, supernatural violence, major character death, and minor language

Author's Note: *spoilers for finale* I finally watched the season 4 finale and woah! It was so good! I loved how Robbie and Daisy interacted - the small half smiles, the banter and deep talks about hell, and when he was about to leave how he looked back at her and did that nod thing. So cute! He better come back in season 5 or get his own show and they better have more interactions. I'd be so mad if the writers gave us that little tease and then didn't follow through with it. Also, I'd like to see Daisy taking care of Gabe and having him hang around the SHIELD base and then he helps out FitzSimmons in the lab and it would be cute if they gave him good recommendations and he got into a really good college. Idk, I just really love the idea of Daisy and Gabe being a little family and waiting for Robbie to return.

 

Chapter 31: Hostage and Hope

She leads him through the rest of that hallway without incident, and then to a smaller, side hallway. It must have been like a service entrance so that the janitors and cleaners wouldn't be seen by the "superior" scientists and inventors. A terrible reason to have constructed it, but Daisy isn't complaining now. She's sure the gang members haven't searched this place in enough detail to notice it.

Both of them are soaking wet as they walk, every step a squeaking squelch. They leave a trail of wet footprints behind that Daisy hopes evaporates soon. What a terrible way to be discovered.

She stops when the hallway merges with a lab room. This one is abandoned still, but it's in the same wing as the lab Segundo Cielo is most likely using for whatever they're doing.

"There a main hallway just out the door there," she explains, pointing to the door across the lab room. "All the labs are down it like hotel rooms. I'm not sure which one they're using for their experiments, but I doubt it's the same one the hostages are being held in."

"How do you propose we find them?" Robbie asks her. She notices he's awfully close, pressed right against her. Not that it should surprise her anymore, but she still gets thrills when he's close. Maybe it's because they haven't actually openly confessed their feelings for each other yet.

She shakes her head. Not the time for those kind of thoughts. They're in the middle of a mission, for heaven's sake. She's not some blushing schoolgirl. People's lives - including hers and Robbie's - are on the line. She's already had a knife pressed against her throat in the last fifteen minutes.

"There should be guards wherever the hostages are. We're just going to have to sneak around until we find a bunch of them."

"Then we take 'em out and search. Crude, but it's the best idea we have." Robbie sighs. "This would be a lot better if we weren't drenched. My clothes weigh me down."

"I'm sure we'll be fine." Daisy looks back and forth across the lab. "Okay, let's sneak out to the hallway. Keep your head low in case they can see silhouettes through the windows."

The two of them crawl, hiding behind lab tables or other equipment as they make their way towards the door. At one point Daisy hits a table leg with her shoulder and the whole piece of furniture shakes. She freezes, worried that something is going to fall, but nothing happens and she continues forward.

Robbie beats her to the door and opens it a crack, peeking around the corner. He waves her forward, and the two of them sprint across the hall to the other empty lab.

"Guard, twelve o'clock," Daisy whispers, watching out the window.

"Let's follow him," Robbie suggests.

They follow the guard down the hallway, the carpet- moldy and threadbare as it may be - dampening and silencing their steps.

The guard turns a corner. Daisy vaguely remembers that there are more rooms this way. Non-lab rooms, if her memory is correct.

Daisy hears a muffled yell from one of the doors. She and Robbie exchange looks before bursting into action. Robbie leaps forward and grabs the guard around the neck, slowly and quietly bringing him down. Daisy pushes the door open and heads in.

There are two more thugs inside the room, guns in hand. They don't notice her at first, their attention focused on the prisoner. It's only one of the hostages, a college-aged guy, and he's rocking in his chair, desperately trying to shout against the gag in his mouth. One of the guards kicks him soundly.

"Shut up, will ya?" he grumbles.

Daisy edges up the side. Just as the opposite guard notices her, she springs forward, tackling the first guy to the ground. She manages to land a few solid punches to his throat and face before the second guy starts shooting.

She grabs the half-conscious guy she's straddling and turns his body to use it as a shield. The second thug stops shooting, drops his big gun, and pulls out a knife.

She releases the first guy and drops his body, standing up and stretching her fingers before forming fists. "What, are you scared of a girl?" she taunts at his hesitation.

He growls and steps forward, slashing wildly. She grabs his wrist and twists, using his own momentum to bring his arm behind his back. She forces it harder and his shoulder pops slightly out of place, the knife dropping from his hand.

Her victory is short-lived. He uses his brute strength to rip himself out of her grasp and lands a hard punch to her face. She staggers back, her fists automatically raising in defense again. May has taught her well.

When he charges her again, she delivers a quick and sharp kick to his sternum, then finishes him off with a series of punches to his throat. Her brass knuckles collide heavily with his jaw, and she hears a startling crack even before he hits the ground.

Robbie rushes back in just as she finishes the guard off. "Your nose is bleeding," he remarks.

"Huh." Daisy wipes at it quickly then turns to the hostage, who is staring at them with wide eyes. She picks up the knife from the floor where the thug had dropped it and starts to work on the prisoner's bonds. "Watch the door while I cut him loose."

"Where are the others?" he asks, moving into the doorway.

"They must have spread them out through the whole building so any rescue attempt would be foiled. A pretty ingenious plan, although it's bad for us."

The ropes at his ankles give way and fall to the ground. She works on the ones around his torso that connect him to the chair.

"You might want to hurry," Robbie says in a warning tone. "They know where we are. I can hear footsteps. A lot of them."

Daisy saws faster, but there are a lot of ropes. She finally gets through the ones on his body. He struggles to stand up, and she rips the gag out of his mouth. "Stand still while I get your hands," she orders.

The man is staring at Robbie with wide eyes. Daisy glances over at the Ghost Rider and sees that he's re-lit his chain. "Don't worry about him. He's on our side."

"You made the whole building shake," he says, his voice airy, as if in a daze. "He's on fire. Who are you?"

Daisy sees that there are injection marks on his neck. He must be pumped up with the drug. Her eyes instinctively scan the room for any more, but there are none in sight. "C'mon, Daydreamer," she says. "We gotta go. Do you know where the others are?"

"There are others?" he asks. "I feel bad for them. Why is the floor tipping?" He stumbles and Daisy grabs his arm to steady him.

"Robbie, we gotta go. He's really out of it."

"Problem." Robbie steps out of the doorway. "We have a dozen incoming. Guns and everything."

"Stay here," Daisy orders the man, then she heads to stand by Robbie. "Let's get 'em."

She reaches into her waistband and pulls out her handgun, then slowly and methodically empties it on the thugs running towards them. She hits a target with each shot, but there are still lots of them.

"I'll clear the way ahead. Grab the guy and follow."

"What about the other hostages?" Daisy doesn't like the look on his face. "Robbie, we can't leave them."

"We don't have a choice," he insists. "At least we're getting one free. If we don't leave now, we're never going to make it out. They've been one step ahead of us the entire time."

As much as she hates to admit it, Robbie is right. She grabs the arm of the one hostage and pulls him forward. "We're getting you out of here," she promises.

He doesn't seem to comprehend her words, but he picks up his feet. She drags him down the hall, where Robbie is already engaging the remaining gang members.

"Are we going to die?" the guy asks, his voice fearful. "They said we wouldn't die."

"As long as you stay with us, you'll be okay." Daisy kicks a guy who is trying to get up from the ground. "We know what we're doing."

But even she has doubts. They walked right into a trap, and everything has gone wrong since. No wonder SHIELD wanted to wait for the DWARFs to be ready. All of this trouble would be avoided.

Robbie takes out the last guy and they all three run down the empty hall, knowing they have no time to waste.

Daisy leads them through the service hallways again. No one is around, so it cements her confidence that the gang doesn't know about their existence, at least not yet.

Even the hallway with the fire ring and blasted pipes is empty. Something is suspicious here. Where are all the other gang members?

Her answer comes all too soon. As soon as they exit the building, she and Robbie spot gunmen all over the property, pacing across the lawn and searching with flashlights in one hand and guns in the other. The place where the parked the car is still clear, but a wild dash to it would only result in all three being riddled with bullets.

"I'll make a diversion," Robbie declares. "You and him sneak out towards the car. I'll meet you back there in a couple minutes.

"Why are you all wet?" the guy asks her. "Did you go swimming? I want to go swimming."

Daisy hopes she wasn't this annoying and out of it when they injected her with the hallucinogen.

A huge fireball blossoms up a hundred feet away, and all the gang members turn towards it. Daisy points to where the Dodge is. "Run that way, but stay low," she orders.

They cover half the distance before the guy stops cold. "What are you doing?" she hisses.

"Why are we running away from the people?" he asks. "Don't we want people to help us?"

"Yes, but not those people! Those are bad people!" Daisy feels her heart about to beat right out of her chest. This is real panic is anything is.

"Maybe you're the bad person." The guy starts stumbling away from her. "I saw you hurt those other people. Good people don't hurt others."

"Don't go! They'll kill you!" she whisper-shouts. "Get back here?"

He shakes his head. "You can't fool me any longer." He turns and starts sprinting towards the gang members, waving his arms wildly. "Hey! Hey!"

It all happens so quickly. About a dozen of them all turn their guns on him and open fire. Daisy can't even imagine how many times he's hit, but he stumbles and collapses.

Despair fills her. How did she not save him? What did she do wrong? Why couldn't she stop him?

There's an endless abyss that opens up in her heart. She feels so empty, so lost. It's her fault a man just died. How can she live with his blood on her hands?

She just stays there, half-hidden and staring at the place where the man they had tried to save died.

-

Robbie backtracks as soon as the explosion is set off and makes his way to where Daisy and the hostage had started from.

He hears the man start yelling as he sprints into the open. Robbie looks away as the gunshots go off. The devil inside him wants to kill all those men, but he knows it would be a suicide mission.

Instead he sneaks forward, half-running. Daisy's gotta be here somewhere. He's going to get her out of here before anyone else dies.

She's staring ahead, shocked stiff. He can only imagine what she's feeling, but they aren't out of the woods yet.

"C'mon, Daisy. We gotta go."

She doesn't respond, so he grabs her arm and pulls her up and starts dragging her towards the car. Her legs stumble forward, only half-willing.

They make it to the car unscathed and unnoticed. Robbie pushes her into her seat and then he gets into the car and starts the engine. His foot is immediately on the accelerator as they fly out.

The men hear the car and see them, but their bullets are useless. The car is too far too fast. They won't catch up to them.

Still, Robbie doesn't relax until they're safely back in the city and lost in the maze of streets and alleys. Then he slows down and drives like a normal person back to the shop.

The whole ride Daisy just stares straight ahead. This time it isn't a focused look; this time she's in shock. Robbie knows the feeling. After the accident, he hadn't known how to react to anything. Everything had been just a confused blur.

The first time something goes tragically wrong, you have no idea how to deal with it. Your entire mind just kinda shuts down. That's what's Daisy's going through now. She just needs time and support to fully comprehend and accept what had happened.

Of course, Robbie isn't the best with these kind of things. Emotions are something he tends to avoid.

After Robbie parks the Dodge in the back of the garage, far out of sight, he turns to her. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"What is there to talk about?" she asks hoarsely. "We messed up. A person died because of our mistakes. And it's all my fault."

Before he can reply, she unbuckles herself and steps out, heading towards the apartment. Robbie quickly follows her.

"It's not your fault," he assures her. "We just weren't prepared well enough. They caught us off guard."

"It is my fault." She stares at him, her eyes sparkling with tears. "The people at my work had a plan to rescue them tomorrow. I just wasn't patient enough to wait. Now one of the hostages is dead and I may have compromised everything."

She keeps going ahead, up the stairs and into the apartment. Robbie stays outside for a minute longer, collecting his thoughts.

A little part of him admits that it might be her fault. But it's just as much his fault as hers. They didn't move fast enough. He didn't fight hard enough. They should have left as soon as they escaped the original trap instead of trying to sneak around more.

There were tons of ways both of them could have handled it better, but this is the way it ended up. And there's nothing they can do to change it.

He follows her inside. She seems lost, just standing in the middle of the kitchen as if there's nowhere for her to go.

"You can't let this get to you," he says quietly. "Death is a natural part of life. We can't stop it from happening."

"But if I hadn't insisted on trying to rescue the hostages, that guy would still be alive." She wipes at her face. "His death is on me. I might as well have pulled the trigger myself." Daisy shakes her head. "It's so hard. How can I live with this? With knowing that I'm responsible for a life?"

The first couple of times the devil had taken over, Robbie had felt similarly. Now he's numb to it. He's not sure if it's a good thing or a bad thing. Pain keeps people human. It reminds them of why certain things are the way they are. If you don't feel, how can you be human?

"I'm sorry that it happened," he says lamely, not knowing what else to do.

Daisy steps forward and wraps her arms around him, burying her face in his shoulder. He follows suit, holding her tightly and knowing that sometimes just being there for someone is enough. And it's all he can do.

"I miss being ignorant to all of this," she whispers after a while, her cheek pressed up against his chest. "This is going to be all over soon, right?" She angles her head up so she can catch his eye.

Robbie can't make promises he doesn't know if he can keep. "I hope so," he says instead of definitively answering.

And that's the truth. He hopes this all ends soon, for both her and for him.


	32. Rescues and Realizations

Disclaimer: All rights belong to Disney, Marvel, and all the men and women that created the Agents of SHIELD TV shows, and comics. I take no credit, and I do not mean to break any copyright rules. This is simply a work of fiction made for enjoyment. No money is being made.

Rating: T for dark themes, graphic violence, mentions of torture, drug abuse, supernatural violence, major character death, and minor language

 

Chapter 32: Rescues and Realizations

The SHIELD base is teeming with activity when Daisy shows up for work. Agents are running everywhere, most of them barely watching for people or things in their path. All the TVs and tablets are powered on, images and news articles blasting her with media from all sides.

She weaves her way through the ruckus to the lab where Jemma and Fitz are intently working.

"What's going on?" she demands.

Jemma solemnly picks up a tablet near her work area and turns it on. "Segundo Cielo sent this message to the news early this morning. It's all over the internet now."

Daisy skims the letter, only half understanding. It's addressed to the city of L.A. with a very clear and disturbing warning.

/Yes, we are holding nine hostages, all between the ages of eighteen and twenty three. You know where we are. Do not attempt a rescue, or you will be driven out and the hostages killed at once. We are not accepting bribes.

If you do not believe in our resolve, then believe this: last night the vigilante Ghost Rider and his accomplish, who we call Quake, tried to infiltrate and free the hostages. We drove them away with our superior force and as a penalty of their insurrection, the tenth hostage has been shot./

A picture of the guy, his body riddled with bloody holes, accompanies the picture.

Daisy feels a wave of sickness again, her hand instinctively covering her mouth. Why had she been so stupid last night? That man is dead because of her, and now SHIELD's mission to free them is compromised.

And "Quake"? Is that really what she's being called now? Just because she burst a water pipeline and made the whole already-rickety building shake doesn't mean she can make anything else move.

"The Ghost Rider has never failed before," Fitz says, breaking through her thoughts. "I don't think Segundo Cielo is just any street gang. I think they're a form of the mafia."

"Mafia?" It sounds awful, but it would make sense. She already knows they have men and women with their hands in everything, including SHIELD and other government areas. "So shouldn't there be a main crime boss?"

"Exactly." Fitz sets down his drone. "We find the crime boss and capture him, we can end this."

"I'm more concerned about the whole Ghost Rider thing," Jemma admits. "He directly caused the death of that man. His name was Tyler Brandt, and he was a sophomore studying Biology. Just looking at that picture makes me sick."

"They must really be powerful if they managed to drive him away," Fitz agrees. "In the last few years that he's been operating, the Ghost Rider has never failed or been driven away. And now he has what seems to be a permanent accomplish - that Quake they mention."

"I wonder who that is," Jemma replies. "It's interesting that he would pick up an accomplish so late. Usually criminals split from their partners, not gain new ones."

"He's not exactly a criminal," Daisy reminds the scientist. Both of the agents look at her in silent shock.

"He kills people, Daisy. He breaks the law." Jemma presses her lips together. "If that doesn't make someone a criminal, then I don't know what does."

"He only kills bad people. And he does it to protect others. Think of all the people over the years who have testified that they would have been robbed or kidnapped or killed or raped if he hadn't shown up?" Daisy looks between the two of them, but neither of their faces soften.

"It's one thing to protect people. It's another to kill others in the process," Fitz states. "If he really was a hero, he'd knock the person out or tie them up and let the police do the rest. It's not up to any of us if someone deserves to live or die."

"Well, he wouldn't have to do anything if the police were actually capable of being on top of things," she mutters. Although she strongly disagrees with their stance on the issue, she doesn't want to start an argument with them. That's the last thing she needs to worry about.

Before either of the agents can reply, Coulson breezes in. "You ready, Fitz?"

"Ready for what?" Daisy asks, suddenly suspicious.

"We're going in, of course," Coulson replies. "One person has already died. We can't risk any more deaths."

"They're ready, sir." Fitz packs the DWARFs up in his large briefcase.

Daisy freezes, suddenly torn between warning them strongly against this course of action and giving up the information she and Robbie had discovered last night to help them. Despite the warnings from Segundo Cielo themselves, Coulson seems dead set on continuing. Daisy isn't going to let them walk into a trap. She's been responsible for enough deaths already.

"Before you go - " All three of them turn to look at her.

"Yes?" Coulson prompts.

She sighs. "Be careful about it. If they were smart - which they seem to be - they'd split up the hostages and keep them all in separate areas. And I'll bet they expect you to enter through the back doors, so they probably have traps set up down there."

Coulson stares at her for a long moment, then nods. "Daisy, I want you to come with us on this one."

Her eyes widen, and her heart drops. "No. I mean - "

"You can stay on the quinjet the whole time. But you seem to have a good idea of how they think, and you know the layout of the building. We could use your advice on comms."

After a moment of hesitation, she finally nods. "Alright. But I'm not leaving the quinjet."

Ten minutes later, the whole team is loaded into the quinjet. Daisy straps in next to Mack. The flight is relatively short. May, who piloted it to the location, turns and stands up.

Even Coulson grabs a gun and sticks in his comm. "Daisy and Jemma are staying behind to help on comms. Fitz, you stay with Mack and work magic with your drones. Yo-Yo, you're in charge of recon. May...well, you know what to do. Let's get these hostages free."

Fitz rubs his hands nervously as the others start to unload from the quinjet. "We - Jemma and I - decided to call the prototype guns ICERS, after all," he tells Daisy. "This is going to be our test run with them."

Although she isn't sure how she feels about SHIELD using experimental weapons on a mission as important as this, she trusts Fitz. If he's positive they'll work, then they will work. And at least they won't kill anyone. "Thanks. And good luck."

"You, too." Fitz smiles at her and then Jemma before stepping out of the aircraft after Mack.

Simmons shows Daisy how to turn on the screen and computers in the quinjet. Daisy sets up the TV screen so that she gets feed from each of the agent's video cameras and links it to the computer. If she looks up she can see live video, and if she focuses on her computer she has the blueprint of the building with green dots representing each of the SHIELD agents.

"Everyone can hear me?" she asks, pressing her finger to her comm and testing it.

"Loud and clear," Mack says.

"I got you," Fitz agrees.

"You're good," May reports.

"Just don't yell," Coulson says.

"I can hear you," Yo-Yo replies in her heavy accent.

"Good," Daisy mutters to herself. So far, so good. "Okay, Fitz, what are your drones picking up on?"

"Guards are posted in every single hallways. They all have comms, too."

"Can you blow them out?" Coulson asks.

"Yeah, I think so." There's a soft whine over the link, and then Fitz says, "Done."

"Mack and Fitz, walk straight for about ten feet, then turn left. There's a service hallway that Segundo Cielo doesn't know exists. It will lead you straight to the labs."

From what she can see of the dark video, they're following her instructions perfectly. At least something is going right for once.

"I think they've noticed they're comms don't work," May says. "I've got eyes on one, and he's not happy."

"Can you take him out quietly?" Coulson questions. There's a few muffled thumps before May responds.

"One down."

"There's a room that he was guarding," Daisy informs her. "I think there might be a hostage in there. But I think there might be another guard or two, along with them."

"No problem. I'm on it."

And so the mission goes. Daisy and Jemma monitor the screens and give directions, and the SHIELD agents complete the instructions. As each hostage is escorted out and brought into the safety of the quinjet, Daisy feels more and more relieved.

The last hostage boards when Coulson says, "Where are the other members of Segundo Cielo? We need to shut down their operations."

Daisy examines the blueprint for a moment. "The farthest lab to the south. But I wouldn't recommend going after them."

"Why not?" Mack asks. "We have nothing to lose."

"They have advanced weaponry, and I'll bet the majority of their force is guarding that room. We're lucky to have gotten this far unharmed. Once they realize that all their hostages are gone, they'll move out quickly. Set up a police boundary and catch them then, but don't try to surprise them."

"Daisy, we've gotten the best of them," Jemma says. "I don't think they were ready for us."

"I agree with Daisy," May states, surprising everyone. "This was too easy. I think the Ghost Rider's attack scared them. I don't think it went as well as they claim it went. Maybe they did drive him away, but at a great cost."

"Segundo Cielo has always been one step ahead," Daisy adds. "They probably staged this on purpose. If they didn't want us to rescue these people, they would have made it much harder."

"Okay. Back to the quinjet. But we need to spend some time figuring out their strategy. I don't like going against them blind."

Daisy knows better than all of them that there's more going on than just what meets the eye. Why would they get hostages only to release them a few days later? Why would they take over an old science lab building? Why would they be connected to a messy street gang like Fifth Street if they're actually mafia?

There's a link between all these things somewhere, and once Daisy finds it everything will make sense. But right now she's not seeing any connections.

Now she has a whole team to help her, two of them certified geniuses.

How can they not end up on top?

-

Gabe is not happy with Robbie at all. Daisy had called earlier and said she was getting out of work late today, which just leaves the two brothers alone at the apartment. Usually Gabe is better-mannered when Daisy's around, but now he seizes his opportunity to strike.

And honestly, it's the last thing Robbie wants to face.

"What are you really doing out late every night?" Gabe demands, cornering Robbie at dinner.

"Daisy and I like to hang out together," Robbie lies. "Is that a bad thing?"

"Why can't you hang out here?" Gabe challenges.

"I don't know, maybe 'cause you're here," Robbie snipes, stabbing at a plate of cold leftovers.

"And that's a problem how? I mostly stay in my room, far away from the happy couple."

"You have big ears," Robbie accuses. "And you like to concern yourself in others' business. Sorry that we like to have some privacy."

Gabe drops his fork and glares at Robbie. "Cut the act. I know you're lying. You're displaying about a dozen tells right now."

"We've been over this," Robbie insists. "What I do is not your concern. If I have to lie about I will."

"I'm just trying to protect you, Robbie. Why do you resist so much?"

Gabe trying to protect Robbie? No, that's not how this works. "I don't need your protection. I can handle myself. I'm not a niño."

"You can't stay away from trouble. Why do you think we had the accident in the first place? If you had stayed far away from illegal street racing then it wouldn't have happened."

That's the final straw for Robbie. "That accident was not my fault. I can't believe you would use that against me. And after all I did for you -"

He can't continue because the anger is so strong it blocks his throat. He had paid for Gabe's therapy and attended each session. He had made everything wheelchair accessible and pushed him around for the first few weeks. He had taken care of and fed his little brother.

And he had sold his soul to stay alive for him.

Gabe's face softens and he realizes he overstepped the line. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like th-"

Robbie shakes his head. "Just focus on your studies, okay? Graduate and get out of this city for good. That's all you need to worry about."

Gabe reaches over and touches Robbie's arm in an uncharacteristic show of affection. "I don't want to leave the city if it means leaving you."

Those words hit Robbie hard. "What? Why would you be willing to give that up?"

"Because you're my brother, and I love you. Besides, there are decent colleges here. I can get a job not far. It might not be the best, but I'm willing to compromise."

No. This is not what he wants for his brother. Gabe has the world at his fingertips, and he's willing to throw it all away for Robbie?

He doesn't even know who Robbie truly is. If his little brother finds out what he does at night, Gabe will never want to see him ever again.

"I don't want you to stay. There's nothing here for someone as intelligent as you. This city's overrun by gangs and corrupt people. Get as far as you can away."

Gabe doesn't look happy, but he keeps quiet and doesn't fight back. They eat the rest of their dinner in tense silence.

It never used to be like this between the two of them. What happened? What changed?


	33. Catalyst and Control

Disclaimer: All rights belong to Disney, Marvel, and all the men and women that created the Agents of SHIELD TV shows, and comics. I take no credit, and I do not mean to break any copyright rules. This is simply a work of fiction made for enjoyment. No money is being made.

Rating: T for dark themes, graphic violence, mentions of torture, drug abuse, supernatural violence, major character death, and minor language

 

Chapter 33: Catalyst and Control

The team manages to get back on the quinjet safely, and they stop at the nearest hospital to drop off the hostages before heading back to the base.

Just as Daisy had suspected, all the hostages had been injected with that super drug. She's starting to think that they weren't taken just to use as leverage against the police.

The first thing they do when they get back is go through the debriefing process. As they fill out their paperwork, Coulson smiles at her. "Good job today, Daisy. You were right about the hostages being spaced out."

She presses her lips together and nods, feeling guilty about how she came across that information. "I just want to help. No one deserves to be kidnapped and experimented on like that."

As she says the words, she suddenly gets something. Experimented on like that… "Oh my gosh, I know what they were doing in the lab."

"What?" Mack asks.

"I know what Segundo Cielo was doing with that lab," she repeats, her mind going into overdrive. She turns to Jemma. "Remember that superdrug I had you analyze for me a few weeks ago?"

The scientist nods. "The hallucinogen based off of PCP. I remember. It was weird because it was an injection and because it acts almost immediately by a mystery substance."

Coulson has a confused look on his face. "What is it?"

"It's a drug that raises dopamine levels," Jemma explains. "That's what causes the hallucinations. But there was a catalyst involved, one I couldn't identify. I'd never seen nor heard of it before."

"A new substance," Fitz realizes, his mind getting on track. "And those hostages were injected with it, weren't they?"

Daisy nods. "I don't think they were taken as hostages in the first place. I think Segundo Cielo was testing the drug on them to see its effects. Once the authorities found out about them taking over the science lab, they acted as though they kidnapped them as leverage."

"I'll need to see the hospital reports as soon as possible," Jemma declares, stepping out of the circle to call the police.

"But what do they want to do with this drug if it works?" May asks.

"I'm not sure. I know it's already on the streets, though. That's how I found the initial sample that Simmons examined." Daisy tucks her hair behind her ear as she thinks. "When they kidnapped me and injected it into my bloodstream, they made is so that the hallucinations I saw were of fearful things. When I took it on my own, I saw what I convinced my brain I wanted to see. Somehow external and internal factors influence what the patient sees."

"We've already established that they're more than a gang," Mack adds. "So obviously they're planning to spread it around somewhere, and I'll bet they have a plan on how to do it."

"They are allied with the other street gang, Fifth Street," Yo-Yo says. "That is how they plan to spread it. I have seen it done before, in my home country."

Simmons comes back then. "Daisy, you experienced the drug's effects. Can you tell us more about it?"

"It's highly addictive. I would recommend that all the patients be sent into drug rehab as soon as possible. Even being injected once or twice is enough to become hooked. And it's sold on the streets, so it's not too hard to come across."

"Maybe they want to control the city," May suggests. "If this is mafia, then it's power they want."

Fitz nods. "I think you're right. If the drug can be administered to enough people in the city and the hallucinations influenced the way Segundo Cielo wants them to be, they can easily create chaos and mass panic."

"They might even be able to convince people that the cops are the bad guys," Mack states, gripping the table hard. "If civilians are storming government buildings and police stations, then the authorities won't know how to react, especially if it's not criminals doing the direct work. With the government occupied with that threat, the mafia could easily break people out of prison or rob banks or do whatever else they want to do."

"And when the dust clears and the drug makes it's way through everyone's systems, it'll either be too late for the police to act or the masses will demand more of the drugs." Daisy sighs at the realization.

"When the demand for the drugs is high, the mafia can sell it at whatever price they want. They'll become rich practically overnight," Jemma finishes.

"We need to get on this as soon as we can," Coulson declares, picking up his tablet and typing something into it. "Agent Simmons, is the hospital situation cleared up?"

"Yes, sir. All the patients will be transferred to rehab immediately after being released from the hospital."

"Good. I want you and Fitz to try and work on finding a cure or a vaccine for that drug."

"But sir, we don't know what that one substance - "

"You are two of the smartest scientists in the world. You've worked your way through countless situations. I'm sure you can find something to help."

The two nod and head towards the lab, exchanging ideas as they walk.

Coulson turns back to the group. "The rest of us need to find information on who their leader might be. If we can cut off the head, maybe we can scatter the body. And if we can't find the leader, we also need to compile a list of potential criminals being held in the city that they might try to get out. If we can, we need to transfer them elsewhere or strengthen their security."

It's a time of many revelations for Daisy, one of them being a day that she had long forgotten. Before she'd been kidnapped, she'd spent many hours in the old archives, searching through files stack by stack, box by box. And when she'd found what she was looking for, she'd gone to Robbie. Of course, that was the day Gabe was there and kicked her out, and afterwards she'd been kidnapped and had completely forgot about the information she'd found.

But now she remembers that she may have stumbled onto something huge. Of course, that information is on a flashdrive in her laptop, which is back at Robbie's apartment.

"Can I call it a day, sir?" she asks politely. "I'll be back first thing in the morning."

Coulson nods. "Just make sure you sign out. If we get anything while you're gone, we'll send you a text or call you."

At exactly ten thirteen, Daisy finally heads home.

*

Robbie waits up for Daisy to get back. He expects her to be tired and worn, but he wants to talk to her about their failed mission. After hours of thinking, he's finally found the right words to say.

But Daisy bursts through the door, sweeps past him, and breezes into her room.

He doesn't get an angry vibe from her, so he follows after, hanging out in her doorway. "What's going on?"

She rummages through her computer bag, then quickly sets up her laptop and starts to reboot it before answering. "I think I know who's in charge Segundo Cielo," she says.

He wanders into the room a little farther. "Who?"

"I don't know off the top of my head, but I saved the information on a flashdrive. That's what I am trying to pull up right now."

There's a long awkward silence while her laptop slowly turns itself on. "I heard about the rescue of those hostages," he finally says. "That was your team, right?"

She nods. "Of course, it helped that I had insider information. Not that I called it that when I told my boss. I just said it was a thought."

"Segundo Cielo had already ditched by then, hadn't they?"

She nods again. "We must have scared them off. There were only a few guards left." She proceeds to tell him the theory her team came up with.

It makes sense. The pieces of the puzzle all fit together. "But about the drug - wouldn't they need a genius scientist to create that unknown substance and utilize it the way they do?"

"That's exactly what I was thinking," she agrees. Daisy turns back to her computer and pulls up the files. "When I was searching in the archives, I found something very suspicious. I'm glad I saved it now."

When Robbie sees the picture, he's stunned. Then he waves it off - that man just looks familiar. When he sees the name, he starts to panic.

"Elias Morrow. He used to work at those very labs Segundo Cielo just abandoned. He had pHDs in science and engineering. His team reportedly stumbled upon a huge discovery, but a lab explosion destroyed their work and a fight broke out between the team members. Eli Morrow was subsequently imprisoned for manslaughter." Daisy looks back at him, and her eyes widen. "Robbie? You okay?"

The devil inside him flares up with surprising force. Robbie isn't going to be able to contain him for long this time.

But he'll try. Robbie takes a deep breath. "Eli Morrow is my uncle."

Daisy's jaw drops. She reaches over and lays her hand on top of his. "I'm so sorry, Robbie."

"I always considered him as a good man who made a mistake." His fists clench against the rising wave of anger inside him. "Now I see he had us all fooled."

"Whatever they found must have been big for them to fight over," she muses. "Did your uncle ever seem…"

"Mad? Obsessed?" Robbie relaxes his fists slowly and focuses on what's important. "Yeah. He always stayed late at work. Never wanted to talk about it with Gabe and I. I just thought it was normal. But I guess killing people over some chemicals isn't normal."

"I wonder why the explosion happened. Maybe the members of the team thought it was too dangerous and destroyed it. That would be incentive for murder."

The devil rises up again, and Robbie has difficulty suppressing it. He's losing his grip. "Makes sense. And if Segundo Cielo is actually mafia, then he would easily be able to have contacts both in and out of the prison. There are probably multiple corrupt guards there."

"He would send messages out of the prison with instructions on how to repeat his experiments," Daisy realizes. "He must have been creating this drug. Now they're going to use it to break him and other criminals out so they can complete their plans."

"This is only the beginning." Robbie pushes against the devil inside him again. "There's a whole other plan we know nothing about."

"We need to visit Eli so we can question him," Daisy says. "Does tomorrow work?"

The devil is gaining ground. Robbie is fighting a losing battle. "I can't, Daisy."

She looks at him with concern. "What's wrong?"

"I swore an oath of vengeance. The devil wants to finish it out." Every word is a strain to get out.

"What's that mean? Robbie, what's happening?" Her voice is borderline hysterics.

"It means I'm losing control. The devil wants to take Eli home." Robbie grabs a fistful of sheets and struggles against his inner demon.

"You can't kill him. He's your uncle!"

"It's not me!" Robbie is sweating now, the effort wearing on him. "I can only keep fighting him for so long. You need to find a way to get Eli out of my reach. Go, now!"

She stands, but then she hesitates. "Will you be okay?"

"Just go, but if you can't get him to safety, get out of the way. I can't promise that the other guy won't hurt you."

She leaves wordlessly, though she moves quickly. Robbie keeps fighting, trying to give her time to get out and get a head start.

Finally he can't resist any longer and the devil surges up, taking control of his body and forcing him out of the house and into the Dodge and towards the prison. Robbie can't do anything but watch. His limbs aren't his own anymore. His body is possessed.

Normally when the Ghost Rider takes over, he and Robbie work together. Now, though, the devil knows Robbie won't help him, so he cuts him off completely.

With a mixture of anger, frustration, and helplessness, Robbie heads to the prison to kill his uncle Eli.

*

Unknown to both Daisy and Robbie, Gabe is still awake when they leave. He can sense their urgency and he knows something is off. Something isn't right.

He sneaks into Daisy's room, where her laptop is still on and running. The files about Eli Morrow are still up.

Gabe reads through them all. Then he uses the internet to search for the articles on Quake and the Ghost Rider and Segundo Cielo and Fifth Street.

In his bright mind, he starts to connect the dots. He doesn't know all the details, but he knows enough to get a muddy picture of what's going on. After all, he has his uncle's brains.

There's one startling fact that sticks out to him: Quake first started working with the Ghost Rider a few days after Daisy showed up at their place. And the Ghost Rider first started his vigilante mission a few days after Robbie and Gabe's accident.

A coincidence? Gabe thinks not.


	34. Scares and Scans

Disclaimer: All rights belong to Disney, Marvel, and all the men and women that created the Agents of SHIELD TV shows, and comics. I take no credit, and I do not mean to break any copyright rules. This is simply a work of fiction made for enjoyment. No money is being made.

Rating: T for dark themes, graphic violence, mentions of torture, drug abuse, supernatural violence, major character death, and minor language

Author's Note: Hey guys! I'm back! Sorry for the long wait. I was on vacation and didn't have access to my computer. I hope you enjoy this (unhappy) chapter!

 

Chapter 34: Scares and Scans

Daisy knows exactly how to get Eli Morrow to safety, far out of the Ghost Rider's hands.

However, Robbie isn't going to like it one bit. Not that he likes the alternative option - the one where Ghost Rider sends Eli up in flames.

She takes the Impala back to SHIELD, speeding in order to make it there. If the devil is really in control, she doubts he'll obey the speed limit laws.

The base is still awake when she pulls into her parking spot. She sprints past the lab, noticing Jemma and Fitz working over a monitor, their bodies awfully close for co-workers.

Daisy finds May and Coulson in the breakroom. They're talking in low voices together. Although she hates to break it up, her information is pretty important.

"Coulson!" Daisy runs in and skids to a stop by the table.

"I thought you went home already," Coulson says, glancing at May and then back at her.

"I did. But then I figured it out." Daisy pulls up the files on her phone and slides the device to the agents. "Eli Morrow. A genius scientist. He used to work at that very same lab. A few years ago his team's findings were destroyed in a fire. He was charged and imprisoned with murdering them."

"You think he's the one who created the drug?" May asks.

"I think he's running Segundo Cielo," Daisy corrects. "And I think we need to get to him now."

There's a tense moment of silence. "It makes sense," Coulson finally says. He turns to May. "Are there enough agents still here to go now and bring him in?"

"Mack, FitzSimmons, and us three," May replies. "I say we go get him. I'm tired of them being one step ahead of us. And I don't want the Ghost Rider to beat us."

"Me too," Coulson agrees. "Okay. You go get the quinjet ready. I'll get our agents."

Five minutes later they're in the air. Mack hands Daisy an ICER. "We need you to come in with us on this one since we're so short-handed."

She nods and accepts the firearm. May and Mack and her are going in to retrieve Eli while FitzSimmons prepares the containment module and Coulson plays politics with the warden of the prison.

They touch down a short time later in the fenced-off area of the jail. The three armed agents head directly in through the back doors while Coulson goes around to the front. Fitz checks the comms quickly.

The prison is dark, illuminated only by their three flashlights. As they creep through the halls, past barred cells, glowing, hungry eyes take them in. Apparently convicts wake up quickly.

A few of them quietly cat-call out, which the three agents ignore. They want to make as less noise as possible.

"Be careful," Coulson warns over the comms a few minutes later. "I just talked to the warden. The Ghost Rider is already here. He broke in just before us."

Shoot. They might be too late. The three pick up their pace, half-running through the building.

Daisy feels sick. What if Robbie gets caught because of her?

But which is worse: getting captured or killing your uncle? Daisy hopes Robbie prefers the former. And hopefully not both happen at the same time. That would be a catastrophe.

"We're close," May says quietly, taking point. She puts her ICER straight up, directed forward. "Just around this corner.

The three of them turn just in time to see the Ghost Rider at the opposite end of the hallway. Morrow's cell is halfway between the two groups.

"We have a situation," Mack says into his comm. "Ghost Rider, twelve o'clock. Appears unarmed."

"He doesn't look as intimidating as the media makes him out to be," May mutters.

Daisy freezes, her heart racing. Why does he look exactly like Robbie?

Well, not quite exactly. Even from here she can see that his eyes aren't right. Robbie's eyes always have a sad look in them. The Ghost Rider has pure, cold anger in his eyes and a placid expression. And maybe it's her imagination, but his eyes appear to have flames in them. She remembers when she had been injected with the hallucinogen and thought Robbie's head was a skull on fire, like the graffiti art of him. She'd rather see that than her lover's face with foreign eyes.

Daisy's really glad the three of them are armed with ICERs and not real guns.

"I'll take care of him," May directs. "You two get Morrow. FitzSimmons, try to run facial recognition."

Daisy has trained enough with May to know she can kill a man dozens of ways without a weapon. And she's worked with Robbie long enough to know he's not an amazing fighter, especially without his chain. She doubts even the devil can take on May and win.

And seeing the resolve in May's eyes, Daisy doesn't trust that she won't kill him in the heat of the fight.

What can she do? She won't turn on her co-workers, but she can't let May be the one to face him. Or even Mack. She just doesn't trust them.

But if she goes against them, she risks losing her job.

So what? she realizes. It's a job. Robbie is a person, and a person she likes very much. Losing her job is nothing verses losing him.

Daisy steps forward. "No. I can handle him."

"Daisy, you're not ready," May argues.

"He's killed dozens of people," Mack adds.

"He'll listen to me," she insists.

Both of them look at her like she's crazy. "Um, Daisy -" Mack begins.

She cuts him off, her heart racing wildly as she admits the truth: "He'll listen to me because he's my boyfriend, okay? You two just work on getting Morrow."

Both of the agents are frozen, but Daisy doesn't wait for them to respond. She pushes past them, tucking her gun into her waistband and approaching the Ghost Rider, who had been continuing on his path towards Eli the whole time.

She stops a few feet in front of him. "Hey. It's me."

The Ghost Rider stops, recognition in his eyes, but no sympathy. "Move."

His voice is nothing like Robbie's. It reminds her of a snarling wolf. It's so weird hearing it come from Robbie's mouth. "I can't do that."

"Robbie doesn't want you to get hurt. But he made an oath, and you're in the way." The devil regards her coolly.

"Robbie won't let you hurt me." Daisy crosses her arms confidently. "But go ahead and try."

The Ghost Rider smiles cruelly. "I thought you were smarter than that, girl. He has no control right now. Although I imagine he won't be happy when he does regain it."

He raises his arm to strike her, but it jerks to a stop mid-air. Although Daisy's heart is beating unnaturally fast and her stomach drops in fear, she stands firm.

Robbie's face twitches, and the arm lowers slowly. It shakes the whole way down as if every movement is a struggle.

"Daisy, you have to go," Robbie orders, his teeth clenched together. "I can't hold on for long."

"I can't let you hurt Eli. This isn't just about you and me and our petty vengeance anymore. This is bigger than us." Daisy bites her lip, worried he's going to be mad at her.

Maybe he will be later, but right now he's expending too much energy on submerging the devil to be angry. "But he won't accept that. It's outside of the terms of our oath."

His arm suddenly twitches up, and Daisy takes an instinctive step back.

"Go," Robbie warns, his voice cracking.

"I'm really sorry about this," she says, reaching into her waistband and unloading three shots from her ICER straight into his chest.

She hopes it's not overkill, but she has no idea of how powerful the devil is. She feels her heart clench as his body collapses in front of her, but it had been necessary.

"Daisy!" She turns at the sound of May's voice. "Help me with Eli. Mack will get the Ghost Rider."

Eli is alive and in SHIELD custody, but so is Robbie.

What has she done?

-

Robbie wakes up in a completely white cell. There's one window, but he can't see anything but a white hallway through it.

The devil is gone, or at least it's reduced to a grumbling presence in the back of his mind causing him a massive headache.

The memories of last night are hazy, but he remembers Daisy shooting him. Obviously not with a real gun, because Robbie isn't in much pain and there are no bullet wounds in his body, but she had still done it.

He's not too mad about that. It had been a smart idea of hers to neutralize the threat of the Ghost Rider; however, at the same time, it had led to Robbie being captured.

And he's pretty mad about that. He knows his rap sheet is bad. He knows he's going to prison forever, if not straight to the electric chair. By saving Eli, Daisy had inadvertently signed his own death warrant or lifetime prison sentence.

When he asked her to get Eli to safety, he hadn't meant for her to get the government involved.

There's nothing for him to do, so he sits still, his hands in his lap. Unfortunately, that leaves his mind to wander.

What about Gabe? If Robbie is imprisoned, what will happen to his little brother? He's not worried about his care so much as his mental state. Hearing the truth about his tió had been hard enough for him; how much worse would it be to find out your own hermano is a murderer?

Daisy promised she'd take care of Gabe, but what if she's put in jail with him as his accomplish? And even if she gets out with no punishment, how will Gabe take it? He'll be forever mad at her.

There is no good way out of this, he comes to realize. This is a situation from which there is no easy escape.

His thoughts are broken with a tapping on the glass. He jerks to his feet in surprise, and he sees the woman at the window jump back in alarm. He feels bad instantly.

He walks slowly up to the window. The woman recovers and smiles uneasily at him. "Hello. I'm Agent Jemma Simmons."

"I'm Robbie Reyes." He goes to stick his hand out, then stupidly realizes there's a whole wall separating him and he snatches it back and sticks it in his pocket.

She notices the action. "I'm a scientist with SHIELD," she explains, moving past the awkward moment. "We've heard a lot about you."

"I guarantee most of it isn't true," he replies, not expecting her to believe any of it.

To his surprise, she nods. "Daisy helped us sort the facts from the fiction, so to speak. But there is still a lot of mystery surrounding you, especially concerning the Ghost Rider."

Although he's still suspicious about all of this, he feels relaxed around her. She seems like she genuinely wants to help him. He'll work with that. "What do you want to know?"

"I need to take a body scan, but in order to do that I need to be in direct contact with you. One of my co-workers suggested knocking you out and doing it, but I get the feeling you're a reasonable person when the..." She falters, as if isn't ready to admit that the devil is in him. He doesn't blame her; he's lived with this for years now, and he still doesn't know everything about how the devil's agreement works.

Robbie takes a step back from the window. "I'm not going to hurt you. I know there's no reason for you to trust me, but you have my word."

Simmons presses her lips together and thinks for a moment. "Daisy trusts you. That's enough for me."

She enters through the airlock chamber, a case in one hand and a tablet in another. She sets the case down and opens it, revealing seven mechanical disks.

"These are drones my partner and I designed and created," she explains. "They'll do the scans. They won't hurt you, I promise. They aren't armed."

She slides her fingers on the tablet, and the drones come to life, whirling in the air softly.

"Can you stand with your arms out?" she requests. Robbie follows her instructions without a word. The drones do their job quickly, circling around his body with laser scans, and after about thirty seconds she recalls them.

"What's the verdict, doc?" he asks dryly. The corner of her mouth curls up slightly in a half smile.

"I'm afraid to report that you're perfectly healthy, Mr. Reyes." She examines the results for a moment longer. "Huh."

"What is it?"

She shrugs. "I'm actually not sure. I've never seen this before. There's a part of your brain that's...I don't even know how to describe it. It's just different, kinda like it's covered in a blanket of other matter of some sort. It's part of your motor cortex and frontal lobes."

He vaguely recalls some of his old high school classes. "That's my voluntary muscle movement and my sense of judgement, right?"

"In simple terms, yes. But it would make sense for why you have little control when the Ghost Rider emerges."

Is she seriously trying to explain the devil inside him with science? Because his oath goes against the rules of science. It can't be explained.

"An interesting idea, but the Ghost Rider is a bit more on the supernatural side."

She smiles patiently at him like a kindergarden teacher. "I believe anything magical can be explained with science. So far I've been correct, and I've come across stranger things than you, Mr. Reyes."

"I prefer Robbie. And I can promise you that this is unlike anything you've encountered."

She doesn't look convinced, but she doesn't argue with him. "Well, I need to send this report in. But it was nice to meet you...Robbie."

"Wait," he says as she is about to enter the airlock chamber. "How's Daisy?"

Simmons smiles. "She's fine. But you can see for yourself soon."

"They're letting me see her?"

"It's a simple fact that we need you. And we can't very well lock you up and then expect you to do our bidding only to lock you up again. For the time being, you're an asset, not a prisoner."

Why would a government agency need him? That's a question he's sure will be answered soon.

He settles down and waits for the next visitor.


	35. Unfazed and Understanding

Disclaimer: All rights belong to Disney, Marvel, and all the men and women that created the Agents of SHIELD TV shows, and comics. I take no credit, and I do not mean to break any copyright rules. This is simply a work of fiction made for enjoyment. No money is being made.

Rating: T for dark themes, graphic violence, mentions of torture, drug abuse, supernatural violence, major character death, and minor language

 

Chapter 35: Unfazed and Understanding

"Start talking. Now." May faces Daisy once everyone's on the quinjet, her arms crossed and her jaw jutted out to the side the way it always is when she's angry.

"About what?" Daisy demands. "What more needs explaining?"

"Wait, what happened?" Fitz asks, looking confused.

"What's this all about?" Coulson questions, looking between the two women.

"Daisy failed to mention before tonight that she's dating the Ghost Rider," Mack answers, strapping in. He is avoiding looking at her.

"You're what?" Jemma exclaims.

Daisy sighs, both internally and externally. "It's true. So what?"

"So what? You lied to us, Daisy. We're a team. And beyond that, you work for the government, who has been searching for him." Coulson shakes his head. "This is unacceptable."

"I led you guys straight to Morrow as soon as I learned about him. I helped with the hostages. I told you guys about the drug and even brought in a sample for Jemma to analyze. I'm not withholding information from you." Daisy stares right back at them.

"Except for the information about the identity of the Ghost Rider."

Okay, so one piece of information. Sue her. "One thing. But do you blame me? Would you tell on your boyfriend if you knew he would go straight to prison?"

No one says a word. That's what she thought.

"Besides, it's not really him doing the killing."

"What's that mean?" Macks asks. "It sure looks like him. And that car is confirmed to be both his and the Ghost Rider's."

"He gets, like, I don't know how to describe it." She sighs. "He claims he sold his soul to the devil and the devil possesses him to get vengeance."

Coulson gives her a strange look. "You realize that's crazy, right?"

"Not if you're religious," Fitz says. "People who believe in God and Satan also believe in demons and possession sometimes."

"Is it possible?" May asks, glancing at the team of scientists.

"It could be," Jemma answers after a pause. "I tend to prefer scientific answers for everything, but there are some 'miracles' you might call it that have occurred over the years. No one can explain those except through religion."

"I'm not religious," Daisy states. "There must be a psychological explanation."

"What's that condition where people have different personalities?" Coulson asks, turning to May. She shrugs, but Fitz has an answer.

"Multiple Personality Disorder." The engineer nods to himself. "That could be possible. One personality is your boyfriend, one is the vigilante."

"Does he say when he made the deal?" Simmons inquires.

"Yeah. There was a car accident. A hit-and-run by Fifth Street that caused his car to flip. He and his brother were stuck inside." Daisy hesitates before adding, "He thinks he died, then talked to the devil, and then came back to life."

"That's odd." Jemma presses her lips together and thinks. "That information makes it unlikely that it's Dissociative Identity Disorder. DID is usually genetic, and it tends to occur in males around fifteen."

"Maybe it really is a deal with the devil," Mack suggests. "Is there a time limit for the oath?"

"The devil is supposed to leave once he helps Robbie avenge him and his brother."

"What happened to his brother?" May asks. "Did he die, too?"

"No. But he'll never walk again."

There's a tense silence that falls upon them. "Whatever the case, maybe we can use him," Coulson says. "He's always half a step ahead of us."

"Uh, one more thing you should know," Daisy speaks up. "Eli Morrow is his uncle."

"Then we can definitely use him," May remarks. She turns to Daisy. "Your boyfriend may be around for a little longer."

That doesn't make her feel any better. She wants full amnesty for him, but that's doubtful to happen. "He's not dangerous when he's just Robbie. It's only when he's possessed or whatever."

"We'll judge that for ourselves," Coulson says.

"Can you keep this out of the media?" Daisy asks. All hope of Robbie returning to a normal life disappear if his alter ego is known. If only SHIELD knows about him, then there's a chance for his pardon.

"It's a good idea," Jemma adds. "So far he's the only one Segundo Cielo really fears. If they know he's captured, they'll throw caution to the wind. It'll be chaos."

Coulson nods. "Okay. No news."

They return to the base in another bout of tense silence. Both Eli and Robbie are taken to cells. It hurts Daisy to watch Robbie being taken away.

She stays in the breakroom, grabbing both a can of beer and a cup of coffee. She isn't sure what she needs. FitzSimmons comes and joins her.

"I'm sorry about what I said about the Ghost Rider earlier," Jemma says. "I didn't know. Sometimes I don't think of vigilantes as actual people who have reasons for doing the things they do."

"I trust you wouldn't date someone who was bad," Fitz adds. "I'm sure he's a good person who just made a mistake to get mixed up in all of this."

She remembers Robbie saying the same thing about his uncle.

"Thanks. I really appreciate you guys not alienating me. I'm pretty sure the others hate me now."

"It's just different," Fitz says. "People don't understand it, and what they don't understand they don't like."

"They're just getting used to it," Simmons adds. "I'm sure they'll come around."

"Otherwise they'd be hypocrites," Fitz says. "May especially."

May? In a relationship? This is interesting. "What happened?"

"May was sleeping with one of our old operatives, Grant Ward. He ended up betraying us all and attempting to kill us," Jemma explains.

"He was only sleeping with her so that she wouldn't notice he was rotten," Fitz clarifies.

And here Daisy thought May and Coulson were a thing. Or maybe they've moved past this Ward person. Either way, at least Daisy isn't the only one whose boyfriend isn't completely innocent.

"Are you going to stay here all night?" Jemma asks.

"There's no real reason for me to go back home when Robbie is here," she replies. Gabe can be on his own until the morning or until in the evening.

"You guys live together?" Fitz questions.

"Yeah. For the past few weeks."

"It's serious, then," Simmons clarifies. Daisy nods.

"I think so."

Jemma looks like she wants to ask another question. Daisy waits patiently. "I did notice you never mentioned the Ghost Rider's accomplish...Are you Quake?"

"That depends. Are you going to tell Coulson and May?"

The two scientists shake their heads.

"Then yeah."

"Have you ever, uh, ever -" Fitz stutters for another couple seconds before Daisy saves him.

"I've never killed someone. At least not purposefully." Suddenly she realizes that she may have killed someone without even realizing it. "What if I did?"

Jemma lays a hand on her shoulder. "It's alright, Daisy. I wouldn't worry about it."

But she does.

"In our line of work, it's unavoidable," Fitz says, leaning against the counter heavily. "For me, it was a guy named Gordon. I didn't mean to kill him. He ran right into the rod I was holding at the time. Punctured straight through him."

Fitz had killed someone? That shocks her. "That's awful," she admits, stunned.

"It's just our jobs," Jemma corrects. "Eventually it's going happen. We have to accept it." She lays her other hand on Fitz's shoulder. "I'm going to bed. See you both tomorrow."

After she leaves, Daisy notices Fitz watching after her. "What's up with you guys?"

"Nothing." Fitz gives her a strange look.

"No, I mean relationship-wise."

He sighs deeply and rubs his hands together. "Nothing. At least nothing more than the past few years since we met."

"You like her, don't you?" Daisy can't hide her smile. "I don't understand why you're not together! She obviously likes you, too."

"Except she doesn't." Fitz throws up his hands as if in defeat. "I told her once, okay? We were in a nearly hopeless situation and I told her that I loved her."

"She didn't say it back, did she?" Daisy's heart sinks. How could Jemma not say it back? They're like an old married couple already. And it's obvious that they both love each other, at least to Daisy.

"No. She left for a while, too. We're finally talking again, but it's not like it used to be."

He looks so sad. Daisy wants to give him a hug, but she isn't sure they've reached that level of friendship yet.

"Just give her time," she suggests. "I think she'll eventually say it back."

"But we don't have time!" Fitz exclaims. "We've almost died dozens of times since joining SHIELD. One day we won't get lucky. I don't want to hear those words on her lips only after it's too late."

He's right. Daisy thinks of her and Robbie. What even are they? They kiss, they live together, they share their life stories, they fight together - but those things don't mean anything. They may as well be friends with benefits or even just using each other.

It doesn't feel like that's the case, but neither of them have actually confessed feelings. Sometimes you need to hear to believe.

"I've never said it to Robbie," she confides. "I'm not sure if I'm ready."

"Has he ever said it to you?"

A small laugh escapes her lips. "Oh, no. He's not really the sharing feelings type of guy. What we have is more...unspoken but mutual."

Fitz pushes off the counter, standing up straight. "He'll say it when he's ready. Trust me. But don't you wait for him to say it first. If you're ready, let him know."

She nods. "Thanks for the advice, Fitz. I'll keep it in mind. And don't you give up on Simmons. She might not know it, but everyone else knows that she loves you, too."

He gives a slight acknowledgement of her words before heading off to his room.

Everyone has somewhere except her. She heads to the couch in the breakroom, hoping to get some sleep before tomorrow.

She gets the feeling that her adventures have only begun.

-

Apparently Robbie has to be cleared by the man in charge before he can see Daisy. And the man in charge is looking at him very unkindly.

He doesn't seem like a bad man, though. The smile lines etched into the skin around his eyes prove that. Robbie decides he must just not like vigilantes.

"Mr. Reyes," the man begins. "You've got quite the record. Not as a mechanic, but as the Ghost Rider."

"And you are?"

"I'm Agent Phil Coulson. I've been keeping my eye on you for quite some time now. You've been busy over the last four years." He drops a tablet on the table. It bounces slightly. "That is so much more unsatisfying with a thick file folder," he mutters under his breath.

"You seem to know me pretty well. So why I am not heading straight to prison?" Robbie tucks his hands in his pockets. He isn't interested in formalities. He wants to get to the point. Time is of the essence.

Especially his time as a free man.

"You see, we have a use for your particular skill set," Coulson explains. "You're always a step ahead of Segundo Cielo, and right now we need that edge. We found out what they're planning and we need to put an end to it."

Robbie can't help his grim smile from showing. "I'm sorry, but I'm not a step ahead of them. I don't know anything you don't. Daisy has probably filled you in on the only edge we had."

"She explained a lot to us. But you have to have a way of knowing how Segundo Cielo thinks. How else have you been the only one to find and expose them so far?"

This guy just doesn't get it. Robbie doesn't know anything. It's not him; it's the devil. "I find them more by instinct. I can't really describe it. I just get the feeling I know where they are and I follow it. I don't control it, though. It's not a skill."

"The devil inside you, right?"

Robbie nods. "Yeah. He leads me to them. But you guys don't really believe in that, do you?"

"I know that whatever's wrong with you isn't just psychological," Coulson admits. "My scientists think you might have Dissociative Identity Disorder. It doesn't fit your case, though; both personalities can't be aware of what goes on when the other one has control. And you seem more than aware."

"He's always present. He knows everything I know." Robbie tilts his head. "You sure you're not a scientist yourself?"

The agent shakes his head. "I just did some basic research. I like to have an understanding of what's happening. And I want to know about any and all assets I have."

"Is that what I am? An asset? And what happens when I'm no longer useful?"

Coulson shrugs. "I don't know. Depends on how much you help. Maybe we can prevent you from a VIP seat on the electric chair. Maybe we can get you a prison like Pablo Esteban's. Maybe you can get completely pardoned."

Robbie leans forward. "I know this won't mean anything to you, but I have a little brother. He needs me. I'll help you, but whatever happens when I'm no longer useful, he better be taken care of. ¿Comprende?"

"Loud and clear." Coulson stands. "Your first task is to question Eli without your...friend showing up. Maybe he'll be more likely to talk to you."

The agent makes it all the way to the chamber before he turns. "And you're wrong. It does mean something to me."

The door closes behind him, and Robbie is left to wonder what the hell he meant by that.


	36. Entanglements and Endings

Disclaimer: All rights belong to Disney, Marvel, and all the men and women that created the Agents of SHIELD TV shows, and comics. I take no credit, and I do not mean to break any copyright rules. This is simply a work of fiction made for enjoyment. No money is being made.

Rating: T for dark themes, graphic violence, mentions of torture, drug abuse, supernatural violence, major character death, and minor language

Chapter 36: Entanglements and Endings

May shakes Daisy awake early the next morning. "Come on. We have more than a few training sessions to make up."

The older woman sounds terse and stern. Daisy suspects she is still unhappy about yesterday's confessions, and she isn't about to test her patience.

After changing into exercise clothes, Daisy meets May in the training room. The agent has a screen setup.

"I have feed from your last missions. We're going to look at how you and others fight. Point out what they're doing wrong and how to fix it. Then we'll work on isolating specific trouble spots for you."

They spend all morning working on it. Daisy notices that when they finally do training matches, May doesn't pull her punches.

A particularly hard throw leaves Daisy on the ground, completely out of breath and her head spinning.

"Get up. We'll go again," May orders.

Daisy can't respond. She feels woozy and sick, and her body aches all over. She still can't catch her breath, either.

She vaguely hears a set of footsteps entering the room. A familiar British accent says, "I finished my scans. Robbie Reyes is stable, although there's suspicious brain activity I need to look into. Coulson's talking to him right now."

The voice cuts off abruptly. "Is she okay? May, what happened?"

"I may have been a bit rough," Daisy hears May admit. "But she'll be fine."

The two agents stand over her, and May lends out an arm. Daisy grudgingly clasps it and pulls herself up.

"Am I done?" Daisy asks May.

Simmons jumps in to answer. "Yes. You're done. I need your assistance in the lab, so shower and get changed quickly."

The scientist darts a brave look at May, challenging her to argue. But May just nods and steps away.

"Thanks," Daisy whispers to Jemma. "May didn't pull her punches at all. I was getting beat up pretty badly."

"That's very uncommon for her," Jemma replies, glancing at the retreating agent. "She usually has the best self-control out of all of us."

Daisy changes and meets Simmons in the lab twenty minutes later, her whole body protesting against any and all movement.

Fitz looks up from his workstation when she enters. "You look awful, Daisy," he observes.

She winces. "Thanks."

"Your cheek is starting to bruise already," Jemma informs her as she walks up.

"Wonderful." Daisy leans against a table, definitely not feeling wonderful at all. "What do you need me for?"

"Oh, I just said that to get you out of there. You looked pretty pathetic just laying there on the floor."

Daisy appreciates the gesture more than words can express.

"Actually, there is something you might want to see," Fitz cuts in, bringing her a tablet. "Robbie agreed to try and talk to his uncle. He's heading there right now. This is feed from Eli's cell."

Daisy holds the tablet up and cranks the volume so they can all hear. For the first thirty seconds there's only silence, and then the door opens and Robbie steps in, looking exactly like he always does with his black and white trainers and leather jacket.

Daisy hopes Robbie can control the devil while he's so close to his uncle. Maybe now that he's had time for things to sink in it will be easier. If he loses it and accidently kills their number one suspect...

The chair scrapes back as Robbie takes a seat. Eli looks surprised at first, but he sets his facial expression back quickly. "Hello, Robbie," he says. "I didn't think I'd see you here."

Robbie regards him coldly. "Tío," he acknowledges. "You've been busy in prison, I've heard."

"SHIELD send you in to interrogate me, huh?" Eli asks, slouching down a little. "I didn't think you were anyone's puppet."

"I don't need SHIELD to motivate me," Robbie replies, his voice hard. "I know you lied to me and Gabe about a lot of things. I want to know the truth."

"And you think SHIELD has the truth?" Eli retorts. "Please. They're only using you."

"They are using me," Robbie agrees. "But not under their terms." He leans forward. "I did my own digging. I know you're involved with Segundo Cielo."

"What difference does that make for anything?" Eli questions, laughing a little. "So I got involved in the mafia while I was in prison. Not much I can actually do behind bars!"

"Except the mafia is mixed up with Fifth Street, the same gang that initiated the hit-and-run against Gabe and I. Unless you've already forgotten about his condition."

Eli's mouth opens, then closes, then opens again. His voice is softer when he speaks this time. "That was before we were allies. And none of the gang members that were involved with that are still alive. I wouldn't stoop that low. I love you boys like you're my own sons."

"And we loved you in return. You were like our father. Until you ruined everything." Robbie's voice breaks for the tiniest second. "It was no accident that you killed your team of scientists. They knew you were messing with too dangerous of things, so they put a stop to it. And you, in your anger, put an end to them. But that wasn't it, was it?"

"We had the biggest breakthroughs of the decade, if not the century!" Eli protests. "They hated me. They wanted me to fail. They couldn't accept that a nobody like me had risen from the ground all the way up. I was on track for the Nobel Peace Prize! Our whole lives could have changed, Robbie. They ruined everything!"

"No, they didn't. You did." Robbie leans back, and Daisy can see a dangerous shadow lurking behind his face. She hopes desperately that he doesn't lose control. "You didn't just join the mafia, you became their leader. All your power is in here." Robbie points to his temple. "You managed to send out instructions on how to recreate the superdrug you had once perfected. But something wasn't quite right. You couldn't figure out the final ingredient. That's why Segundo Cielo needed test subjects."

"Fine. You know." Eli sighs. "I really wish you didn't. Things are going to be complicated now."

"Why can't you just give it up?" Robbie pleads. "Just tell SHIELD what they need to know. Expose the mafia and the gang. Don't go down this path, please."

Eli shakes his head. "Why would I give up complete power? The drug is only one part of a complex puzzle. SHIELD has only found the tip of the iceberg. There's no stopping the path I started."

What does he mean, there's more? Daisy trades worried looks with FitzSimmons.

In the video, Robbie stands up, his chair scraping loudly against the floor. "You think too highly of yourself, Tío. There is much you don't know."

"But I will eventually learn," Eli warns as Robbie walks out. "You can't hold me here forever!"

Daisy shuts off the tablet and returns it to Fitz. "I need to go talk to Robbie," she explains, then heads out quickly.

Robbie had looked more than a little upset as he had stalked out of the cell. She hopes he's not losing control to the Ghost Rider.

She gets the feeling he'll be a little more unstoppable this time around.

-

Robbie is shaking with anger as he storms out of Eli's cell. His veins are thrumming with uncontrollable anger.

Even the devil is silent inside him, scared of the inevitable outburst.

His fingers press into tight fists at his sides, and he walks purposefully as far as he can get from his treacherous uncle.

How dare he treat his own family like that? He'd been lying to Robbie and Gabe for years, and he'd only admitted to the truth after Robbie spelled it out. And not only that, he also turned his back on both of them.

Robbie finds an empty conference room and enters, closing the door behind him. He needs to calm down, but he doesn't see how he can. Years of pent up anger are gushing through him in an endless stream.

What he wants to do is punch his uncle right in the face. Once for every time he lied. But if he did that, he's probably end up killing the man.

The door opens. Robbie looks up to see Daisy entering. "Is Gabe okay?" he asks, for one moment his worry for his brother overriding his anger.

She nods. "I called him and gave him a BS story about how I had to go out of town for work and my car broke down so I called you and it was too late to go back so we stayed overnight. I'm not sure if he bought it, but I tried."

Well, at least that's one less problem Robbie has to deal with. Except what if Eli sends his men to kidnap Gabe? Robbie doesn't think his uncle is that far gone, but who knows?

A fresh wave of rage rushes through him.

"But what about you?" Daisy asks. "Are you okay?"

"Am I okay? That's a good question." His tone comes out harsh. "For one, I just learned that my uncle betrayed me, and two, I'm cornered and caged by the government who are only using me to get their dirty work done, after which they'll still throw me in a prison for the rest of my life. And I wouldn't have been captured in the first place if you hadn't called them in."

Now Daisy gets angry. "Don't you dare blame this on me. You were the one who couldn't control the devil. And you were the one who told me to get Eli out safely. I think I did my job pretty well."

"I told you to get him out, not to call the government! And I'd like to see you try to control the devil for even one minute, let alone your whole life."

"Oh, so you just expected me to just prance into a highly guarded prison and just let a murderer out? No problem!" She steps closer, getting right in his face. "I handled the situation as best as I could. You should be thanking me for keeping you from killing your own family."

"You shot me! Multiple times!" Robbie doesn't back down. "And now I regret not killing Eli immediately."

"That's your problem, not mine. Because I kept all your secrets, I might be losing my job. And if you didn't notice, I'm already suffering from my co-workers' anger!" She points to a huge bruise on her cheek that he had missed.

He feels bad, and he hopes she's okay, but his anger overrides those emotions. "You might lose your job? So what, you just get another one. I might lose my life!"

"I'm not the stupid one who made the pact with Satan to murder people in the first place. I'm not responsible for any of the consequences of that decision. You would have been caught anyway." She crosses her arms and glares at him.

"I went years without getting caught. It's because of you that I got sloppy."

"Excuse you, I saved your own butt plenty of times. I covered for you, I had your back, and I even omitted information from the government to protect you. The only reason you went soft is because you started liking me."

She's right. He went soft because he was worried about her and her safety. "Fine. I'll stop worrying about you, then."

"It's a bit late for that now," she replies wryly. "You've already been caught. Now all you can do is make the most out of the time you have left before you're locked behind bars."

"What I want to do is finish my mission. That's the only way I can face my brother again." Robbie sighs and turns, facing away from her. "That's the only way I can rid myself of the devil."

"Is that all you want to do?" she asks, her voice suddenly quieter.

Robbie turns back to her. "Yeah. Why?"

She shakes her head, but he notices she looks upset. "Nothing. Good luck on your mission."

She starts to head out, and he takes a big step forward, catching her arm and forcing her to turn. "What is it?" he asks again.

Daisy tries to escape his grip, but she can't. Finally she gives up and just looks him in the eye. "What about us?"

Us. It's such a small word with such big meanings. Robbie doesn't know how to respond.

"Are we just going to fight then make up, then fight then make up, and just repeat that cycle forever? Because I'm already sick of it." Her expression is dead serious, and he feels his heart drop.

He doesn't want to lose her, but she's right. Maybe they just aren't meant for each other.

"Say something, Robbie," she begs. "Tell me to stay. I don't care if you mean it or not. But I need to hear you say something."

He can't find any words. He has nothing to say. Her face falls with every passing second, and then she steels her expression. "So that's it, then."

He lets her go. He releases her arm, and this time when she leaves, he doesn't stop her.


	37. Pull Outs and Plights

Disclaimer: All rights belong to Disney, Marvel, and all the men and women that created the Agents of SHIELD TV shows, and comics. I take no credit, and I do not mean to break any copyright rules. This is simply a work of fiction made for enjoyment. No money is being made.

Rating: T for dark themes, graphic violence, mentions of torture, drug abuse, supernatural violence, major character death, and minor language

 

Chapter 37: Pull Outs and Plights

Daisy heads back to Robbie's apartment that afternoon. Gabe is home when she walks in.

"You're back," he notes. "But where's Robbie?"

"He's not coming back yet. I'm just here to pick up my stuff." She doesn't think Gabe understands exactly what she means by that, but that's okay. This is hard enough for her already without having to deal with Gabe's disappointment.

She heads into the guest room and starts packing her few belongings in a bag. There's not many physical objects here - just the necessities. It isn't hard to pack those up.

It's the memories that come with them and that live in the apartment that are hard to pick up and move. She'd grown fond of Robbie and Gabe in the past month and a half. Things had been going so well, too. For once since Lincoln's passing, she had started to feel okay again, like maybe the world could go on. Her heart had grown back, only for her to give it away again.

It's the whole Ghost Rider business that, in the end, destroyed everything. All of her and Robbie's fights happened as a result of something the Ghost Rider had caused or done.

Which is ironic because Daisy never would have stayed with Robbie for more than two days if he hadn't been able to help her get vengeance as the Ghost Rider.

The same thing that brought them together had torn them apart in the end. The cosmos are a cruel thing.

Daisy hears the door creak open, and Gabe wheels himself in. "You're taking everything?" He looks so confused. "Are you leaving?"

"Yeah. Sorry to bother you." She works quickly to pack up a few last items.

"No! I mean, it's not a bother. I don't want you to go."

Gabe looks at her with his big brown eyes, and her resolve almost melts. Daisy isn't a crier, but she feels her eyes sting. That's exactly what she wanted him to say, and yet it's the one thing she can't hear right now. She's still hanging from the edge on this decision - by her fingertips, yes, but still hanging.

"Sometimes in life we have to do things we don't like," she says, more to herself than him. "For me, this is one of those things."

"Did Robbie kick you out again? Because he's an idiot. Don't listen to him." Gabe never lessens the intensity of his stare. She thinks his eyes are watering, too, but she looks down too quickly to be sure.

"Gabe, your brother and I..." Suddenly she doesn't know how to word it. "We broke off whatever it is we had."

The kid frowns. "Why? I thought you guys liked each other."

Yeah, so did I. "Is it real if neither of us can admit to it? He wasn't willing to ask me to stay, and I am tired of waiting for him."

"Like I said, he's an idiot. You don't have to leave." Gabe reaches forward and touches her arm. "Please don't go. And not just for me. Robbie never realizes what he has until he loses it. You make him a better person. You keep him anchored in a way even I can't."

"Gabe, I don't want to leave. Trust me." She takes a deep breath to settle her voice. She feels one of her hands slip off the metaphorical edge. "But I have to. It would be awkward if I stuck around, and I need to move on. If there's one thing Robbie taught me, it's that we have to leave the past in the past before it comes to haunt our present and future."

Gabe presses his lips together and is silent for a long time. Finally he nods. "Okay. I understand. But don't hesitate to call or visit."

She smiles a little, relieved that at least she managed to patch things up with the younger Reyes brother. "I will. Stay out of trouble while I'm gone."

As she grabs the bag of her items and heads out, she hears Gabe call her name.

"Yeah?" She turns to see him watching her, the expression on his face showing that he wants to say something but can't find the right words.

"I know Robbie and you aren't telling me everything," he begins, his face struggling. "If you guys are involved in something dangerous, just stay safe. Please. Can you pass that on to him for me?"

Daisy nods. She wonders how much the boy has figured out, and she feels slightly guilty for having to keep him in the dark. "Of course. And I would suggest you stay with a friend for the next few days - it might be a while before Robbie comes back home."

She leaves for good this time, releasing her remaining grip and letting go completely. Numb, she notices that all her possessions from here fit in one bag, and for some reason that makes her feel even more sad.

She doesn't want to forget the Reyes boys or the valuable lessons she's learned from them. Although she told Gabe she'd visit, she's not sure if she actually will. Sometimes it's best to just leave things behind. Sometimes that includes people. She has to work with Robbie until the mafia and the gang are disbanded, but after that Robbie is going straight to prison. She can't do anything to prevent that, and she doesn't want to face Gabe when he hears the news. He'll hate her.

She needs to just keep moving forward. That's the important thing in life.

But part of her feels like she's just accepting defeat. Why is she always running instead of facing her problems? Is she just so willing to give up everything and everyone in her life? Does she have anything worth fighting for? If not, why?

What if she just doesn't know what is and isn't worth fighting for?

She didn't fight for Lincoln. She just cowered behind him like scared little girl. She didn't fight for her father. She stood by and watched her mother murder him. She didn't fight for Robbie. She just walked away.

Why should she expect anyone to fight for her if she isn't even willing to fight for anyone else?

Then it hits her - no one fights for her. Not anymore, at least. She's lost everyone who ever considered her valuable. And she lost them because she didn't consider them worthwhile.

Maybe she keeps losing because she's not willing to risk anything to win. No pain, no gain, the saying goes.

Daisy wants to start winning. She's lost enough already. She needs to start fighting.

But where does she start?

Before she can find the answer to that question, her phone buzzes. It's a message from May.

/Base under attack. Segundo Cielo responsible. They're after Eli. Get back here ASAP./

There. She can start there. Daisy starts up her car and floors it out of the parking lot and towards the SHIELD base.

-

Robbie feels awful. He's still standing in the middle of the conference room, his arms slack at his side, wondering what he could've done to make her stay.

Why is his mouth dry of words? One simple word could have kept her here. One little plea. Just one. But his mind is speechless and his mouth frozen shut.

He wants to find her, to apologize, but once again he can't think of anything to say. He will just freeze up again.

Maybe they are hopeless. Maybe it had been for the best that things ended now, painfully but not crushing. At least this way things aren't completely ruined between them.

Robbie decides to take a walk around the base to clear his mind and think things through. Today is his first day out of the cell, and he'd been so busy first with Eli and then with Daisy to actually take the time to explore the place.

If you're going to be in the hands of the enemy, you might as well scope them out.

He doesn't end up paying as much attention to the building layout as he should. His thoughts are preoccupied with a certain young woman who keeps blazing into his life as quickly as she leaves.

Robbie always imagined himself as a passionate person, but the fire inside her puts him to shame.

There were times, like when he first met her, that she was subdued and dim, but even through her suffering there were glowing embers that burst into a raging fire once she made up her mind.

Robbie wonders where he would rather be right now: meeting her again for the first time and getting to see that fire started, or being in the present, knowing her and having good memories but also having to watch her walk away.

He settles on the present. It's better to know what you're missing and having memories to fall back on in hard troubles. Feeling regret and pain reminds you of your humanity. If he was in the past, he wouldn't know what he was going to eventually have and then lose.

He doesn't give up all hope, though. Once this is all over, once the Ghost Rider leaves him and if he's granted amnesia from his crimes, he'll call her. Maybe they can actually be together once things are normal again.

Robbie glances to his left and peers through the glass sliding doors into the lab. The curly-haired guy is in there, working on some new invention. Even in his short time here, Robbie has noticed that the scientist, Simmons, is always by his side. For some reason she's not right now.

The mechanic is about to move on when an explosion rocks the whole base. Robbie is thrown sideways into the barrier of the lab. The glass shatters under the impact and he falls to the ground, tiny shards pricking his exposed skin.

There are a few more blasts. Robbie groans and rolls over, his whole side sore where he had hit the wall and then the floor.

There is the sound of footsteps, and Robbie looks up to see the engineer standing above. "You alright?" he asks in his heavy Scottish accent.

Robbie takes a deep breath and pushes himself up, broken glass digging into his hand sharply.

"What was that?" he rasps, instantly on alert despite the pain.

"We're under attack from someone. It'll be fine. The STRIKE teams will take care of it."

"Under attack" is fine? What kind of place is this?

"Who is it? What do they want?" The answer suddenly dawns on him, and he reaches up to grab the guy's arm. "It's Segundo Cielo. They're here for Eli."

The guy frowns, but he doesn't appear too troubled. "Coulson will take care of it."

Robbie winces as he pulls out glass from his palms. "We'll see. Where's Agent Simmons? She seems like she knows what's going on."

"Right, she does." The scientist thinks for a moment. "She went down to do something...an examination, I think." His eyes suddenly widen. "She went down to check on Eli! She's in danger! We have to go help her."

He grabs two guns from the table and hands one to Robbie. He notices immediately that it's not a normal gun, but he doesn't ask questions. He just follows the engineer, favoring his right side as they move quickly through the base.

There are other teams of agents rushing towards the scene of the invasion, but Fitz - Robbie hears his name from someone else - pushes past them all, and Robbie follows directly behind.

He doesn't know where Daisy is, but he hopes she's safe.

As for him, he needs to secure his uncle. If Segundo Cielo manages to get him away, he may never find the man again.

And the safety of the city relies on Eli's capture and testimony.

The whole side of the building is blown apart, the scene getting worse as they get closer to the cells. The sound of machine gun fire ensues from the scene. Fallen agents are periodically scattered on the ground.

Robbie and Fitz duck behind some rubble for cover. Everything is so chaotic that Robbie has no idea what's happening.

"The cells were right over there," Fitz says, pointing to a large section of rubble. "I have no idea where Jemma or Eli are."

Even as they listen and peer around, the shooting comes to a halt and a familiar female voice is raised.

The two men stand cautiously and make their way forward in the lull.

The oddest sight awaits them: Agent Simmons, in a white lab coat and dark jeans standing in the middle between both sides, is holding Eli Morrow by the throat, a gun pressed to his temple.

"I will fire," she warns sternly, and even Robbie begins to fear her a bit. He knows she's serious.

The stalemate is silent and awkward; the mafia side doesn't want to risk losing their leader, and the SHIELD side doesn't want to risk another gun battle starting. From the looks of it, they're the ones losing.

There's a long period of silence, and then the crack of a gun suddenly sounds; whose it is impossible to tell, but it must have been a slip of a trembling finger.

Jemma jumps slightly in shock, and her finger twitches. The gun in her hand sounds, and Eli slumps to the ground.

All hell breaks loose then. Firing from both sides commences. Robbie leaps forward to protect the scientist in the middle of the battle. He only hopes she hasn't been hit yet.

The gang must have taken Eli's body already, because Simmons is alone, crouching low to the ground and covering her head. Robbie grabs her arm and slowly leads her back behind friendly lines.

Fitz looks instantly relieved when he sees her alive and well. He pulls her back farther to safety, and Robbie returns to help the agents against Segundo Cielo.

The mafia must have a planned getaway because shooting dies down minutes later and the men seemingly disappear.

When the smoke finally clears up, the toll is obvious. A whole side is clear gone, and a half dozen agents are fatally injured, another handful being carted straight off to the nearest hospital.

An agent with dark skin Robbie recognizes from the night he was captured approaches him. "Coulson called a meeting in his office. I'll take you there."

As they walk towards the opposite end of the base, a Mexican woman joins them. "I heard there was a meeting," she says to the man, her accent thick and her voice deep for a woman. "You headed there, Mack?"

He nods. "Everyone on the team was called in. We need to make a plan to locate and take on the mafia before the situation gets out of hand."

The woman turns to Robbie. "Your uncle causes lots of problems, dead or alive," she remarks.

Robbie is inclined to agree, but he gets the sinking feeling that this is only the beginning of their troubles with things his uncle has had a hand in.

The devil inside him stirrs at the prospect of finishing its task.


	38. Tracking and Tension

Disclaimer: All rights belong to Disney, Marvel, and all the men and women that created the Agents of SHIELD TV shows, and comics. I take no credit, and I do not mean to break any copyright rules. This is simply a work of fiction made for enjoyment. No money is being made.

Rating: T for dark themes, graphic violence, mentions of torture, drug abuse, supernatural violence, major character death, and minor language

 

Chapter 38: Tracking and Tension

Daisy is the first one besides May and Coulson at the meeting. By the time she had returned to the base, all the action had passed. Only smoldering structures and solemn moods remain.

The others file in periodically in various levels of disarray. May has an ICER tucked in her waistband and scratches on her face. Coulson is relatively unscathed, but his face is uncharacteristically serious. Jemma is covered head to toe in a fine layer of dust from the explosion. Fitz, hanging closely by her side, has some streaks of it on his clothes and what looks like a bloody handprint on his arm.

The source of the bloody hand print enters, trailing closely behind Mack and Yo-Yo. Daisy's heart leaps when she sees him, but then she remembers that she can't feel that way anymore. He's not hers.

She does feel concerned for his state, though. He's limping slightly, and the left side of his face is bruised and covered in tiny cuts and scratches. His hands are also completely covered in blood. She looks away before anyone catches her staring.

Coulson nods to acknowledge their presence. "Thank you all for coming in. I know some of you are in need of medical attention, so I'll try to keep this short."

That's an understatement. Robbie is literally bleeding onto the floor, and Simmons looks unsteady on her feet. Her hands are shaking at her sides. If Fitz wasn't supporting her, she wouldn't be able to stand.

"We need to find a way to track down and capture whoever the new leader of Segundo Cielo is, along with those responsible for today's attack," Coulson continues. "And we need information on exactly what they're planning and when. Now that they know we have information, they may decide to change their plans."

"Or they might move up the timetable," Mack suggests.

"One of our agents managed to stick a tracker on one of the getaway vans," May says. "If we give it a day then follow, it might lead us straight to their headquarters."

"Good. Fitz -" Coulson sees the science duo's condition and then changes his mind. "Daisy, can you keep an eye on the location of that vehicle? Alert us if anything suspicious comes up."

She nods, glad to be useful, and picks up a tablet to start pulling up the program.

"Anything else you want to say?" Yo-Yo asks.

Coulson shakes his head. "Not at the moment. I want you all to check in with the base doctor and get cleared. Take the afternoon off to rest up and recover."

Daisy watches everyone turn and wearily exit. Simmons doesn't even move for the longest period of time. Fitz stays at her side, talking to her quietly.

Coulson notes her hesitancy. "You did well today, Simmons."

"It isn't easy to make a decision like that," May agrees. "Taking a life is the hardest choice you'll ever make. But just imagine how many lives you've saved."

"That's the thing," Jemma replies, her voice shaking slightly. "I didn't kill him. I shot him with an ICER, not a gun."

Coulson's eyes widen. "Where is his body?"

Jemma swallows. "Segundo Cielo took it with them. They have Eli Morrow."

Dais looks between the three remaining agents. "Who's going to tell the rest of the team that our situation just went from bad to catastrophic?"

"I'll find Mack and Yo-Yo," May offers. "Daisy, you go tell Robbie."

Daisy opens her mouth to protest, then closes it. She can go tell him the news. It doesn't have to be weird. They still have to work together to get Eli, after all.

"Something wrong?" Coulson asks.

She shakes her head. "No. Everything is fine."

Daisy leaves, holding the door open for FitzSimmons before continuing on. She doesn't feel like rushing straight to her ex-something. Instead she loiters around the two scientists for a short while. They make their way slowly down the hallway towards the lab.

"You should really go see a doctor, Jemma," Fitz says.

"I am a doctor!" Jemma replies, rolling her eyes. "I'm more shaken than injured. I just need time to process what happened. It was all very spur of the moment."

"And you could've gotten yourself killed!" Fitz exclaims. "In fact, you nearly did. We're scientists, not fighters, Simmons."

"It's not like I'm going to repeat that stunt again," she scoffs. "But at the time I was the only one in any position to do something."

"It was pretty brave," Daisy agrees. "And it might have worked if that one person hadn't accidently shot their gun."

"Yeah, well, she's only okay because your boyfriend pulled her out of there," Fitz grumbles. "Send him our thanks, by the way."

Daisy clears her throat, suddenly feeling extremely awkward. "Uh, about that…"

"You guys broke up, didn't you?" Jemma guesses. When she sees Daisy's surprise, she shrugs. "I took enough psychology classes to recognize the split. A big giveaway was that you didn't even look him in the eye when he came in, and even though he was injured you didn't ask if he was okay."

Is it that obvious? Daisy sighs. "I'm worried about him," she admits. "But I don't feel like it's my place to act like I care anymore. After all, I was the one who ended it."

"What happened?" Fitz asks. They stop in front of the lab doors, and Daisy steps forward to swipe her clearance card. The doors slide open and they enter.

"Neither of us are good at communication. We don't really express our feelings well. I just got frustrated, I guess. And there is the whole Ghost Rider business to deal with, too." She mindlessly picks up a piece of equipment from the table to examine, using it as an excuse to avoid eye contact.

"If it's meant to be, you'll find your way back to him," Jemma assures her.

Daisy and Fitz share a look before Daisy sets her tool down. "Yeah. Well, I have to go do some tasks for Coulson. I'll catch up with you guys later. I hope you feel better, Simmons."

She's leaving one awkward situation to jump right into another one. She hopes all this tension dissipates soon. She's tired of not feeling welcome.

Besides, maybe she and Robbie can still be friends. If a platonic relationship is even possible after everything they've experienced with each other.

There's only one way to find out.

-

After being dismissed from Coulson's office, Robbie finds his way into a room with rows of lockers and benches and a sink in the corner. He stands by the sink, using a pair of tweezers to get the glass shards out of his skin.

His bleeding had just stopped before he started this task, and now blood drips onto the basin of the sink with patters like rainfall. The glass shards tink against the glass bowl when they hit, sparkling like rubies under the sun.

Robbie had always imagined his uncle to be a good man who had made a mistake. A huge one, yes, but not an irredeemable one. Not once had he entertained the thought that Tío was actually a bad man.

When Daisy had informed him, he'd been pissed. At who? Mostly himself for being so misled. Partly at his uncle for letting him down. And even partly at Daisy for uncovering the ugly truth.

Robbie bitterly wonders who is going to let him down next. Not that there's anyone left to disappoint him. Even Daisy left him.

His thoughts turn back to that moment when Jemma shot Eli. Time had slowed down for a split second. And for a brief moment, Robbie had felt the pain of the loss. Even if his uncle is - was - a terrible man, he'd still been family. Robbie had once loved him like a father. Eli had betrayed those feelings. It had hurt.

Yet, it's for the best that he's gone. He can't hurt anyone in death. Segundo Cielo will be that much easier to locate and destroy. And with them will fall Fifth Street, and when they fall Robbie will be freed of the devil.

The prospect excites him. He's sick of this voice in the back of his mind that occasionally takes control of his body to do dirty deeds with. In hindsight, Robbie would prefer death to this deal. This deal might end up being the death of him, anyway. If Daisy hadn't been there the night he went to get Eli, SHIELD might have put him down right there and then.

He would say he owes his life to her except that he had saved her during her drug crisis. It evens the score.

Then he remembers the night of the gun battle between Fifth Street and the police. If Daisy had shown up a moment later he would have been shot. So he does owe her, after all.

He doesn't like owing people things, especially not such serious matters like life debts. At least he owes it to someone he likes.

A set of footprints interrupts his thoughts. He looks up to see Daisy cautiously approaching. She smiles grimly as she comes to a stop next to him.

"That looks like fun," she remarks.

"Glad you could join the party."

She hesitates before asking, "Are you okay?"

It makes him feel better about their break-up that she still admits she's worried about him. Part of him had been anxious that she would move on right away, even if that is ridiculous.

"My face and hands kinda hurt, if you mean physically." He looks away and continues his task of pulling glass parts out of his hand. "If you mean mentally…" He trails off, not sure what to say. "But you know how it feels to see a parent figure killed in front of you."

He notes her silence. It's a heavy space that exists between the two of them.

Since she has nothing to say, he continues. "His betrayal hurt more than his death. Part of me was relieved when she shot him. He's a terrible person who has done terrible things. At least this way he can't hurt anyone else." A particularly deep piece of glass causes him to wince as he pulls it out. "I still don't know what I'm going to tell Gabe."

He turns on the faucet and runs his bloody hand under the stream, cleaning it off well enough to see that he managed to get all the shards out of his hands.

He glances in the mirror to see her reflection still watching him quietly. Something is on her mind. It must be important if she's this uncharacteristically untalkative.

"When are you going to tell him the truth?" Daisy asks softly. "If you don't tell him he'll figure it out on his own eventually."

Robbie sighs. He'd debated that very question himself far too many times to not yet have an answer. "Maybe once this is all over."

He leans in close to the mirror and brings the tweezers up to his face to try and pull the shards out of his forehead and cheek. It's difficult to work around the mirror's opposite reflection, and it hurts far more than his hands did.

After a few moments of silent struggling, Daisy steps forward. "Let me help," she insists. "You're doing more damage than good."

He turns to face her and hands over the tweezers, the handle of which is covered in blood from his still bleeding hands. She rolls up her sleeves and rinses the tool off, drying it with some paper towels next to the sink.

She holds the bowl of glass shards with one hand and maneuvers the tweezers with another. In order to reach his head she stands on her tiptoes, her body pressed against his for balance.

He can't deny that he misses this. He remembers their one night together out in the city, first walking through the trail of lights and then the outdoor movie. The whole time they'd been pressed together, unbreakable.

Now they can't seem to stay together.

A few minutes later Daisy sets both the tool and the bowl down on the side of the sink. She dampens a few folded-up paper towels and presses it against his face, cleaning the blood off.

"Did I get all the glass out?" she asks. Robbie brings his hands up to scope the skin out.

Nothing particularly hurts, so he nods. She continues wiping the blood away.

He remembers the night he rescued her from her kidnappers. They'd been in almost the exact same position as this, with the exception of their roles being reversed. He'd been the one taking care of her. Now she's the one keeping him healthy and holding him together.

She finds the small bandages in the first aid kit on the bench and applies them to his face. "Well, it doesn't look pretty, but it's the only way to stop the bleeding."

"Thank you." Robbie notices that she's still standing close, so close that he can feel her body heat against his skin. Between the exhausting events of the day, his injuries, and her dizzying presence, his mind is murky, and she doesn't think before he speaks. "I was really worried about you during the attack."

He sees her swallow, but her eyes don't leave his. "I wasn't at the base when it happened."

"I'm glad. I don't know what I would have done if you'd been hurt." Despite the intensity of their stares, he can't bring himself to break their eye contact.

She raises her chin up, her eyes seemingly heavy-lidded. She leans in closer. She's going to kiss him, he's sure. Despite their argument, despite their disagreements, their decision, their situation - she doesn't want to give up them. And neither does he.

At the last second she pauses, then pulls away slowly, her face twitching slightly as if it's physically difficult. "I can't do this, Robbie," she says quietly, her voice hoarse. "I can't stay in this gray area forever. We broke up for a reason."

And yet moments like this make him forget those reasons. Moments like this betray their hearts and their true feelings.

"I'm tired of logic, Daisy," he replies, his voice muted. "I can't pretend like I don't care for you."

Her eyes widen at his confession. She opens her mouth to speak, and then closes it, obviously deciding not to say what is on her mind.

"What is it?" he presses.

She shakes her head and presses her lips together tightly, stepping back from him. "Coulson sent me here to relay the news to you that your uncle isn't dead." Her tone is serious and steady, sounding business-like. Within a second her whole demeanor had changed.

Her revelation shocks him. "What?"

"Simmons shot him with an ICER, not a real gun. Segundo Cielo has him and he's perfectly fine."

Robbie's world seems to still and crash down around him simultaneously. He doesn't know how to process this information. It's too much, too soon.

Daisy presses her lips together. "I'm sorry, Robbie. We're back where we started."

But there's another worry that drowns his thoughts. "Gabe."

She frowns. "What about him?"

"Eli might think he knows the truth, or he might use him as leverage against me." Robbie grips the edge of the sink tightly. "We need to get him somewhere safe."

"I'm on it," she promises, and he believes her. He just hopes she gets there in time.


	39. Race and Relief

Disclaimer: All rights belong to Disney, Marvel, and all the men and women that created the Agents of SHIELD TV shows, and comics. I take no credit, and I do not mean to break any copyright rules. This is simply a work of fiction made for enjoyment. No money is being made.

Rating: T for dark themes, graphic violence, mentions of torture, drug abuse, supernatural violence, major character death, and minor language

Chapter 39: Race and Relief

Daisy heads out immediately, leaving Robbie in the locker room alone. She fast walks straight to the garage, pulling out her spare key to the Dodge. If Segundo Cielo might be racing her there, she wants the faster car.

She drives as fast as she can without seeming like she's breaking the speed limit.

There are no extra cars at the shop, but just in case there is something - or someone - waiting for her inside, she leaves the Dodge running.

She makes her way cautiously up the stairs, her heart racing. When Robbie had mentioned his fear for Gabe, she hadn't wasted a single minute. She loves Gabe, too, and she doesn't want anything bad to happen to him.

But it's more than just her love for Gabe. As soon as Robbie had even so much as looked worried, she'd leaped into action.

Although she and him might not be together anymore, it doesn't lessen her affections for him one bit. That's why she had almost kissed him. It's why she hated seeing him hurt. It's why she yearns to be close to him.

The door is unlocked, and Daisy cautiously pushes in. She doesn't say anything in case someone unwelcome is lying in wait. Instead she quietly makes her way in, carefully scanning her surroundings and keeping her hands clenched in fists at her sides.

The door to Gabe's room is ajar, and she presses it open a crack more to peer in. Gabe is reading a book in his wheelchair at his desk.

A sigh of relief floods through, but she doesn't want to risk getting trapped in here if Segundo Cielo comes for him. She opens the door fully.

"Gabe?"

He looks up, and surprise flashes across his face. "What are you doing here? I thought you left for good?"

When she had rushed out of the SHIELD base, she had not considered what story she would tell him. "Um...I'm here to pick you up."

"Pick me up?" He closes his book. "Where are we going?"

The best lies are seeded in truths. "To see your brother."

"I thought you guys were over with," he says.

Whoops. She hadn't thought that one through. "We're still in contact. Just not the physical kind."

He wrinkles his nose slightly at that thought, but pushes past it. "So why can't he just come himself?"

"It's complicated. But we have to go now, and quickly. I'll explain later. Or rather, Robbie will." She doesn't even fel slightly guilty for throwing him under the bus.

"What do I need to take?" Gabe asks, shelving his questions for later. Daisy appreciates it.

"Uh, a change of clothes, toothbrush, your textbooks. Hopefully you won't be gone for long. But we do need to hurry."

While he works to collect everything, she stands by the window, watching everything with a fast beating heart and a sense of apprehension.

When Gabe is ready to go and the mafia hasn't yet shown up, Daisy almost cries with relief. But she keeps herself pulled together. "Got everything? Good. Let's go."

She helps him from his wheelchair to the passenger seat, then folds his wheelchair and sets it in the backseat with his bag of personal items. When she slides behind the wheel and starts to back out of the small parking lot, Gabe gives her a suspicious look.

"Robbie is still letting you drive the car, I see."

"Robbie doesn't know I took his car," she admits. "But since he sent me out to get you, I doubt he'll object."

"Are you going to explain why he couldn't come himself?" Gabe asks.

She doesn't answer. Her eyes are glued to the rearview mirror. There are three very sketchy cars following her, and she has a bad gut feeling about them.

"Where is he?" Gabe demands, taking her silence as a refusal to acknowledge him. "Why won't he tell me anything?"

"We're being followed," Daisy replies a moment later. "Keep your head down."

"What?" He turns his upper body to look out of the back window. "Who are they?"

"Mafia." Daisy takes a sharp turn, half-way running a red light, but it doesn't deter the three trailing cars at all. A sense of panic fills her.

"Mafia?" Gabe's voice rises a pitch. "Why are they following us?"

"Your un -" Daisy stops suddenly, realizing her slip. "You're under watch," she amends, hoping he won't catch it. "It has to do with Robbie. Like I said, he'll explain everything when we see him. If we see him."

"You can escape them, right? You learn this kinda stuff at SHIELD." His tone sounds worried.

"I'm a computer specialist, not a getaway driver. But one time your brother and I managed to escape three police cars. I think I can handle this." Even as she speaks she lowers her foot on the accelerator and turns several more sharp corners. "Luckily we're not too far from the base."

"They're still behind us," he reports.

"They shouldn't try anything. Not in daylight or in public or so close to a government base." But now she's just blabbering on. Just five more minutes and they'll be in the safety of SHIELD.

So close, yet so far.

The three cars behind her must sense her position, and in the relatively empty street, they finally make their move.

One stays behind her, pulling up so close it taps her bumper. The other two flank her, the drivers glancing at her with unfriendly faces.

"I got this," she whispers to herself.

"You do?" Gabe asks.

She doesn't answer him. She presses down on the accelerator and the engine roars as it works, but then the car leaps forward quickly and zooms down the street. The three pursuing cars try to catch up, but their engines aren't as good with a sudden burst of speed like Robbie's.

She turns a corner just as she hears the sound of gunshots.

"They're shooting at us," Gabe states, shocked.

"Yup. Get down." She takes one hand off the wheel to push his head down. "We're close, but there's no need for extra risk -"

Even as she speaks the whole rearview mirror shatters as it gets hit by bullets. Daisy swears under her breath.

"Your brother is going to kill me," she mutters.

"Maybe it's a good thing you moved out when you did," Gabe agrees, his head still ducked.

She sees the undercover entrance for the SHIELD base up ahead and whizzes past the security checkpoint, crunching the wooden bar as she passes. Hopefully Coulson forgives her for the infringement of rules and property damage. Being chased and shot at counts as extraneous circumstances, right?

Thirty seconds later and she parks safely inside the base. The mafia wasn't stupid enough to try and get in here.

Although, they had broken in once. Daisy has no doubt they'll target it again. It's only safe for a little while longer.

As Daisy gets Gabe's wheelchair from the back, Mack makes his way over to them, inspecting the car. "What'd you do?" he asks, looking very upset over the damage.

"Hazards of being chased by the mafia," she replies, tight-lipped. She helps Gabe move from the car seat to his chair, then pushes him towards the door to the rest of the base. "It can be repaired, right?"

He doesn't look happy, but he nods. "It's only the glass that's damaged. You got lucky."

They had indeed. Luckier than anyone could even realize.

-

Robbie lets out a breath he didn't know he was even holding when he sees Daisy and Gabe approach him, completely safe and unharmed. Gabe has a bag in his lap and eyes full of questions while Daisy looks on edge.

"You guys alright?" he asks.

"Yeah. Segundo Cielo decided to take a few pot shots at us as a leaving gift." Daisy smiles grimly. "We're fine. Lucy not so much."

As much as that pains Robbie to hear, he is still more relieved over their health. He can fix the car. He can't fix them. "I'm glad you guys are okay, at least."

"If I had been ten minutes later I would have missed him," Daisy says gravely. "Segundo Cielo isn't missing a beat. They're just as on-top of things as ever."

"Fitz has been keeping an eye on the tracking signal from Eli. He thinks he may have found him, so he and Coulson and May took a STRIKE team over to run a quick intel mission using his drones."

"The DWARFs?" Daisy asks.

"Yeah." Robbie hadn't understood how they worked, but that's the reason why he wasn't chosen to accompany them on their mission.

"Everything could be over so soon, if it really is him they find," she murmurs. As comforting as a thought that is, he knows it isn't quite that simple.

"No. They won't stop. No doubt even at this moment Eli is setting out a plan in case we come after him again. Even if we do take him out of the equation, their plan will still go on. They're too close just to stop now."

"What's going on?" Gabe demands. Robbie glances back at his brother. For a moment, he'd forgotten about his presence.

"We're talking about work," Daisy jumps in, saving Robbie from having to make up a story. He's grateful for it.

"Robbie doesn't work here, though." Gabe glances between the two of them. "And why am I involved?"

Robbie decides to confess some things in order to tide his brother over. "You know our Uncle Eli?"

"Tío? What does he have to do with anything?"

It feels awful having to admit his betrayal. Robbie feels his stomach sink as he recounts the man's sins. "He was running Segundo Cielo from prison. It's not just a smuggling gang; it's the mafia."

Gabe's face crumbles. "That can't be. He was a good man. You always told me that."

"Yeah, well, I'm not always right." Robbie feels sick. "Anyway, SHIELD wanted me to come talk to him to try and get some information that can help them flush out the mafia. That's why I'm here."

"Is Tío still here?" Gabe questions.

"That's the problem. His guys broke him out earlier today, and we worried he would try to kidnap you as leverage to keep me from helping SHIELD. That's why I sent Daisy to bring you here."

"Why couldn't you get me?" he inquires.

Robbie doesn't have a way to explain that without first admitting he's the Ghost Rider and is thus under a sort of house arrest here, but Daisy once again jumps in to cover for him. "Robbie is a civilian. He's not authorized for that kind of thing."

"And you're just a computer specialist," Gabe points out.

"But I'm the only one who works here who you know well enough to listen to," she explains. "And I have some combat training."

Gabe doesn't look convinced. "It doesn't completely add up," he finally declares. "You aren't telling me everything. But if this is the truth, why did you make up that story about your car breaking down in another town and Robbie going out to help you?"

"We weren't sure how you'd react, for one," Robbie says. "And for two, we are in a very confidential line of work here."

Daisy speaks up. "I'm going to find a room for Gabe for tonight. You guys can catch up."

She leaves, and as soon as the door shuts behind her, Gabe metaphorically pounces. "Why are you guys hiding things from me?"

"We've been over this a million times!" Robbie exclaims, a little more than exasperated. "We can't tell you everything!"

"'We', huh?" Gabe gives him a suspicious look. "You keep saying 'we' when referring to two people who aren't actually together anymore."

"You know?" Robbie asks, slightly relieved over the change of subject, but more reluctant to talk about the break up.

"I was at home when she grabbed her stuff to move out." Gabe appears solemn. "What's going on with you two? Obviously you guys still like each other, so why are you putting yourselves through pain by avoiding each other?"

"It's more complex than that," Robbie admits. "But that's our problem, not yours."

"I like having her around," Gabe states, and Robbie feels a pang in his heart at that. "Even if she keeps secrets with you," he adds, a touch of irony in his tone.

"I do, too. But sometimes people like each other and aren't meant to be."

Gabe frowns. "I don't think that's the case with you guys. I think you need to work through whatever is between you and her."

If only they could "work through" the devil himself. But aren't they? Every moment they spend tracking down Segundo Cielo and Eli and Fifth Street, they're one moment closer to Robbie's oath being up. And once his burden is lifted, they'll try again.

"We're not totally giving up," he confides. "This is more like a break."

"I hope it's a short one." Gabe uses his wheels to turn himself around, ending the conversation. "Let's go see if Daisy was successful in finding me a room. I have homework to do."

Robbie follows his brother, also hoping their break is short. He's tired of denying how he feels, and he gets the feeling Daisy is, too.


	40. Bearings and Bullets

Disclaimer: All rights belong to Disney, Marvel, and all the men and women that created the Agents of SHIELD TV shows, and comics. I take no credit, and I do not mean to break any copyright rules. This is simply a work of fiction made for enjoyment. No money is being made.

Rating: T for dark themes, graphic violence, mentions of torture, drug abuse, supernatural violence, major character death, and minor language

 

Chapter 40: Bearings and Bullets

"How many more questions did he ask?" Daisy asks Robbie as they walk away from Gabe's temporary room, having already settled him in.

"Not too many more, surprisingly." She notes he seems relieved at that. "But he's still plenty suspicious."

"He probably knows more than he lets on." Daisy glances over at Robbie. "Are you still sure you're going to wait until this is over to tell him?"

He nods, his eyes fixed forward. "Yeah."

Although she doesn't entirely agree with his decision, she simply accepts it. She and Robbie have different opinions, but it's important that not everyone thinks the same way.

"How bad is Lucy?" he asks. She involuntarily winces at the question, feeling horrible.

"Mack said it's fixable," she offers, hoping that will ease the worst of his worst anxieties. "But you should probably judge for yourself. I'm no car expert."

They walk to the garage together, where the Dodge is parked next to the old Impala that Robbie gave her. She glances into the backseat to see all her possessions still in moving bags and boxes from when she had emptied it out from Robbie's apartment. Between the fighting at the base and missions, she had been too busy yet to move back into her own apartment, but now the thought of doing that is too painful. She can't live alone after being constantly surrounded by people for so long. Maybe she can permanently move into one of the SHIELD rooms here on base. She knows Fitz and Simmons and May and Coulson live here. It can't get too lonely.

"They were shooting at you?" Robbie asks, examining his car carefully.

"A little. But I don't think they were aiming to be deadly. Either that or they were horrible shots," Daisy amends.

"It's just the glass," Robbie declares after a few moments. "It's an easy repair. The car itself isn't damaged, and that's the important part."

"So I haven't incurred your full wrath?" she asks, half-teasing. Robbie turns to grin at her.

"That depends," he replies, leaning against the trunk and watching her.

"On what?" she challenges. She keeps the conversation cool, but deep down she's glad they're not fighting for once. It's these light moments between the two of them that she lives for.

"On how you repay me." There's a glint in his eye that she recognizes. It's the exact same look Gabe sometimes gets before manipulating her into information.

"How the tables have turned," she says, thinking back to when he had to repay her for breaking his promise. His make-up gift back then had been the most wonderful night out in the city, just the two of them.

The memory of the night comes back to her, full force, and she can't help but smile. It had been so perfect. The lights in the park, the movie after, snuggling together against the car -

How can he expect her to live up to that, especially since they aren't even officially together anymore?

"Are you thinking of that night?" he asks, his voice soft.

She nods, coming to sit on the back of the car next to him. "Yeah."

"That was perfect." He sighs, and when he looks over at her, his eyes are lighter than normal. "We should do something like that again. When this is all over, I mean."

Her heart soars, as cliché as that may sound. "Are you asking me out on a second date?"

"I guess so." He stares straight ahead for a while. "Although I'll try to plan it out more than a few hours ahead of time."

"We could go dumpster diving and I'd still be happy," she admits. "As long as I'm with you." For a few minutes she forgets where they are and what's happening, and she forgets that they put up a barrier between the two of them on purpose. She leans her head against his shoulder. "Besides, you make everything fun."

She feels his shoulder shake with quiet laughter. "I'm glad you have such high expectations of me, Margarita."

She sits up. "What does that mean?"

"It's your name, in Spanish," he replies.

She leans back again. "I like it." It sounds more like her. And it sounds like an alcoholic drink, too, but that doesn't matter.

A thought occurs to her after a few moments. "Do you still get a bad gut feeling about us?" she asks.

His silence answers her question. She doesn't bring it up again.

"So how do you want your repayment?" she asks instead.

His lips curl up in a smile. "I haven't decided yet. Stay tuned."

She mock salutes. "Will do, good sir."

He rolls his eyes. "You're so weird sometimes."

"You love it." She sits up straight and beams at him.

As much as she knows this is going to hurt later, she can't help enjoy these little moments of flirting. As long as it's light and friendly, it's okay, she decides. If it goes deeper, then the conversation has to change.

So far it's staying light. This is safe territory.

"How long until the mission gets back?" she asks, changing the topic.

He shrugs. "They didn't say, but since it's only an intel trip, I doubt it will be long."

Another voice adds to their conversation out of nowhere. "They're heading back right now."

Both Daisy and Robbie's heads shoot up to see Mack walking towards them. "They confirmed it's Eli. We're going after him tonight. You might want to gear up."

"Thanks for the heads up," Daisy says. She turns to Robbie. "What are you going to tell Gabe?"

"I'll make something up," he says, standing. "I'll see you later, then."

She nods, painfully aware of how awkward of a goodbye it is. She watches as he leaves, wishing she knew what to say.

As soon as he's out of earshot, Mack asks, "What's up with you guys?"

She sighs, avoiding his eye contact. "That obvious, huh?"

"I don't think the others know. They have more important things to focus on." Mack sits next to her, taking Robbie's seat. "You want to talk about it?"

"Not really." He doesn't move.

"Is it because you damaged his car?" Mack teases. She rolls her eyes.

"I wish it were that simple. No, it has to do with the whole oath-to-the-devil thing."

"Is it permanent?"

"No. It's supposed to end once he completely avenges Gabe's injuries and Robbie's death. So hopefully once we finish taking down Segundo Cielo and Fifth Street it'll leave."

Mack thinks for a long moment. "Does he have to kill them or just capture them? Because if he has to kill them, then the devil will never leave."

It's a sombering thought. Daisy doesn't want to entertain it.

"We'll cross that bridge when we get there. For now, I'm going to focus on getting Eli Morrow." She stands, then turns back to her co-worker. "Thanks for listening."

He simply nods. "I noticed some of the others have been cold to you since they learned about Robbie. Hell, even I was mad at first. But then I realized I've done nearly the same thing. Love blurs perception, and it's not fair of us to judge you."

His words mean a lot. It makes her feel a lot better about the whole situation. "Thank you."

"It's the least I can do for the newest member of our team." He stands up and lays a hand on her shoulder. "You ready for your first action mission?"

Her nerves curl in on themselves and her stomach ties up in knots, but her heart races in excitement. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm ready."

-

Robbie peers in Gabe's room. The kid is sitting on the bed, his textbooks and notebooks spread out around him. His head is dipped low.

It only takes a few moments for Robbie to realize he'd fallen asleep while doing homework. A small smile dances on his lips.

Gabe tries to act like he's so much older than he is, but at heart he's still just a highschool kid. Yeah, he's survived more trauma than most people his age, and he's done it with grace, and yeah, he works super hard at everything he does - it's how he made it through therapy two months faster than average after the incident, and it's how he is strong enough physically to move himself in and out of his wheelchair, and it's why he's so smart - but at heart, he's just a teenage boy.

Seeing him like this reminds Robbie of that. Gabe has always acted older than his age, especially after the accident, and he's so eager to help Robbie and carry others' burdens that sometimes his true age is lost in his maturity. And, honestly, that's a trait Robbie relies on. It's why he trusts him home alone, it's why he lets him take public transportation in a sketchy town, and it's why their bond is so tight - without Gabe and his steady support, Robbie's wheels would just come off.

And lately, with Gabe distrusting and challenging him, Robbie had felt off his rocker a bit. Daisy sometimes helps, but she also sometimes hurts, too. It's not her, it's the whole concept of caring for someone deeply.

Robbie doesn't wake his little brother up to say goodbye and explain what's happening. He simply cleans up the mess of the schoolwork and sets it to the side, then gently adjusts Gabe to a better sleeping position. Luckily his brother is a heavy sleeper. Robbie pulls a blanket over him and turns out the light.

He pauses at the doorway. His bad gut feeling has only grown with each passing moment. It isn't just him and Daisy he's worried about now - it's him and Gabe, too.

Not wanting to leave without a word, Robbie picks up a scrap piece of paper and writes three small but meaningful words on it, setting the message on the nightstand and signing it. He brushes Gabe's messy hair off his forehead and lingers for a few seconds longer before finally exiting.

The feeling in his chest begins to become suffocating. Even the devil inside him stirs uneasily.

Robbie tries to shove it away as he continues down the hall towards the main part of the base. The others will be back from their mission soon. Tonight will be Eli's last night if Robbie has any say.

When the others finally gather around Coulson's office, the meeting is brief.

"We have Eli's location. It's an abandoned warehouse that has been occupied by Segundo Cielo," Coulson begins.

"He says abandoned, but it's pretty decked out. It's obviously the base of their operations. Smuggled items, illegal weapons, tons of armed workers - it's a thriving place," Fitz explains.

"There are three levels. The first is the ground level. It hosts the basic activity. The second level is half-way underground - the warehouse is on a hill," May adds in explanation. "This hosts the more important things and people. The third level is a basement, but it's structurally compromised, so it's abandoned."

"We hope to move undetected through the first floor," Coulson explains. "We are going to capture the leaders on the second, but if we can't bring them in, then deadly force is accepted." He makes eye contact with everyone. "No ICERs on this mission."

"After we get the leaders we'll fight our way up through the first level, taking out as many mafia members as we can. But the most important objective is getting Eli and the other authorities." May now eyes everyone. "Is this clear?"

"Who's in charge of intel?" Daisy asks.

"FitzSimmons will remain behind in the quinjet. Everyone else will be needed inside. We're even taking the STRIKE team in on this one." Coulson turns to Robbie. "Mr. Reyes, can you control it enough to follow the mission objectives?"

Robbie nods, not exactly knowing if he can or not, but also unwilling to admit he can't. "I'll follow your lead."

"Good." Coulson seems satisfied with his answer. "Then let's go. The STRIKE team is already in the quinjet."

May hands Robbie a gun as they climb in the aircraft. Robbie tucks it in his pocket, not really needing it as long as he has his trusty chain at his side. Guns are always a last resort for him.

Daisy sits by him as they strap in for the flight. "We're going to get him," she says encouragingly, reaching over to squeeze his hand.

The small gesture is enough to soothe his anxieties. He still can't find words, so he nods.

The quinjet takes off and she releases his hand. Everyone is tense on the vehicle. Robbie guesses everyone here has lost someone they were friends with during the attack to retrieve Eli at the hands of Segundo Cielo.

When they land, everyone is silent and focused. May leads the way into the old warehouse, using a back door they must have found earlier. The STRIKE team, Coulson, Daisy, Robbie, and Yo-Yo make up the middle of the pack, while Mack follows in the back.

The first part of the plan works out nicely up until just a few meters from the staircase to the second level. The team had been sneaking behind crates of probably illegal goods, avoiding the vision of the few dozen mafia/gang members milling about, but Robbie catches something the others don't.

"May," he whispers, crouching by the elder agent. "They all have their hands on guns."

"So?" she whispers back. "They're thugs. They like weapons."

"But they weren't holding onto them before."

She glances through a crack and observes for a few seconds before cursing under her breath. "Okay. I want you and Yo-Yo and Daisy and I to sprint for the stairs while the others cover for us. They're to follow as soon as the coast is clear."

She heads back to the others to relay the message - they had decided to go off-comms for this mission - and then she crouches by him again. "Be ready to run," she warns in a low voice.

The STRIKE team suddenly lets out a few bursts of gunfire, and, as if a match had been lit in a gas chamber, the whole room erupts.

"Go, go, go!" May yells, and the three agents and her start making a break for the staircase.

Robbie tries to sprint from object to object to get some slight cover in between, and he's the first to reach the staircase. Daisy is at his heels, and May isn't far behind.

Yo-Yo gets hit, and she goes down hard. May hesitates for a long moment before hardening her expression and urging them to continue.

"She's a good agent. She'll be fine," May murmurs as much to herself as to them.

The descend down the staircase only to be bombarded. There are only a dozen gunmen down here, though. While the two girls take cover, Robbie knows how to work with this situation.

"I got this," he says, then pulls out his chain, lighting it on fire.

He takes each step slowly, psyching out the shooters. A couple of them falter in their actions.

They don't stay frozen for long. He flicks about his metal whip, taking them down in a matter of seconds. Their cries echo up the staircase.

"Clear," he calls a minute later. Daisy and May follow down the stairs, guns at the ready.

"Crude, but efficient," May notes. "Let's keep going."

Unlike the first floor, which was one big storage room, this second level is divided up into smaller rooms.

The next room holds a couple of thugs. As soon as May opens the door, a guy comes at her with a knife. She casually grabs his wrist and flicks, snapping his bones and leaving him howling. She delivers a solid kick to his stomach and he flies backwards. Daisy punches a second guy in the face, once with her fist and once with the butt of her gun. He crumples at her feet.

Overhead, the sounds of a great gunbattle continue to rage on.

In the next room they hit the jackpot. A cluster of well-dressed men hide behind a dozen strong-arms. As they burst open the doors, the henchman step in front to intercept them and the leaders flee out a back door.

Robbie catches sight of Eli among them. The devil flares up, and he shoves past two guys with no second thought.

Here in the close quarters his chain is useless, so he drops it and fights hand-to-hand. May and Daisy flank him.

"This is taking too long," May grunts as she bashes a guy's head against the wall. "You two go on ahead and get them. I'll finish these guys off."

Daisy replaces her gun with an ICER that she had the forethought to bring, and the two of them break free from the henchmen and follow the path of the leaders.

Some of them pull out small handguns when they overtake them, but Daisy is quicker with her ICER, sending them to the world of dreams instantly. They work their way through the second room, and soon they have everyone but Eli.

"There's one more room. Eli has to be in there," Daisy says. She runs ahead and kicks the door open for Robbie to stride through.

He sees Eli immediately, standing in the middle of the room, his hands tucked in his pockets casually. But his eyes are dancing with a mad light.

Daisy stays behind Robbie, respecting his right to his uncle.

"You know, I had heard the stories of the Ghost Rider many times while in prison." Eli shakes his head. "I never thought it would end up to be you."

"The people we love often turn out to be different than we think," Robbie replies.

"Wise words." Eli stares him down. "I didn't want to betray you, Robbie. You were like my son."

"Love was never your strong point. I'm not surprised your scientific ambitions were a higher priority than Gabe or I."

"Watch out. Gabe is more like me than you might think." Eli's eyes twinkle. "Together, he and I could do anything."

Robbie feels disgusted. His little brother using science for evil - no. It would never happen.

He doesn't fail to notice Eli edging towards the back of the room, where there's a staircase. Or the huge jagged hole on the left side of the room, leading straight to a nasty and probably severe fall to the third floor.

"I'm not here to talk." Robbie steps forward. "I'm here to kill you and settle my score."

"How have I wronged you besides a few petty lies?" Eli scoffs.

Robbie barely keeps his voice from trembling. "You are in charge of Segundo Cielo, which has been hiring Fifth Street Locos to do their dirty work for years. Fifth Street is the gang who caused the accident that cost Gabe his legs and me my life first, and then my soul. You are indirectly the cause of that accident."

Eli's eyes widen. "That's ridiculous," he says, taking a step back. "I'm your uncle, your tío. Your only family!"

Robbie keeps taking huge strides forward, gaining on the man. "You ruined what little was left of our family!"

The devil takes over now. He grabs Eli by the neck, and he starts to squeeze -

He hears a shriek and he spins around, releasing Eli. A couple of the henchmen from earlier must have escaped May, and now they have Daisy. She clawing and kicking, but they have her held tight.

Robbie is about to go help her when he hears a creak behind him. He dives out of the way just as Eli stabs the air with a syringe filled with that awful drug Daisy had once been addicted to.

Robbie slams Eli to the ground hard enough to not have to worry about him for a minute as he leaps over to where Daisy is being hurt. Just as he reaches them she pulls up her legs, delivering the second guy a solid blow to his kneecaps. He falls on them, and Robbie punches him hard before sweeping his legs under the thug holding Daisy.

They both fall, but Daisy manages to slide out of his loosening arms. She straddles him when he hits the ground and lays into him with a shower of blows.

Robbie leaves her to it, focusing again on Eli. The man has scrambled to his feet, the syringe still his only but deadliest weapon. He brandishes it in front of him.

Robbie tries to grab his wrist, but his uncle is quicker than he anticipates. He swipes at Robbie, all the while leading him to the side of the room.

Although Robbie has the devil, his uncle has an uncanny sense of how things play out. And he also has prison experience and tactical strategies. What he lacks in physical strength he more than makes up in mental prowess.

While Robbie deals hard blows anywhere he can, his uncle knows where to hit with minimum force that causes the maximum pain.

The jagged hole springs up underneath his feet suddenly. Robbie had forgotten about it. He manages to dance around the edge to the other side, Eli on his heels.

Robbie isn't winning this fight. It's pathetic, really, but he never was particularly good at hand-to-hand, and most of his victories stem from the advantage of surprise and sheer, overwhelming strength.

Eli had been ready for him, though, and he'd set this fight on his own terms. And apparently he'd learned much in prison.

As Eli delivers a chop to his throat that completely knocks the breath out of him, he knows there's only one alternative way to turn this fight around.

It's not a all-hope-lost situation, but it will probably end in some injuries on his part. Minor ones, hopefully, if he plays it out right.

He glances over Eli's shoulder at Daisy, who has finally finished with the two crooks. She catches his eye intently, then her gaze shifts and she looks back at him with horror.

"Watch out!" she screams, but it's too late. Robbie just gets his eyes back on his adversary when he hears the noise. The pain follows almost instantly, blossoming right where his heart is.

Eli had managed to pull out a gun in the time it had taken Robbie to lose focus. The unfairness of it all hits Robbie with the bullets. What kind of man brings a gun to a fist fight?

But Eli made one major mistake, and Robbie isn't going to be deprived of exploiting it. He takes a few trembling steps forward, straight to Eli.

Eli must assume he's going in for an embrace, because he catches Robbie and holds him tightly. "I'm so sorry," he says in his ear, and he sounds like he means it. "I never wanted to hurt you."

Robbie doesn't feel the slightest bit of guilt as he uses the last of his strength to push them backwards with his legs.

Eli realizes his move too late. They're already falling through the jagged hole and to the floor far below them.

Robbie has regrets, but none for his uncle. His regret is for Daisy and Gabe, who he's leaving behind.


	41. Demons

Disclaimer: All rights belong to Disney, Marvel, and all the men and women that created the Agents of SHIELD TV shows, and comics. I take no credit, and I do not mean to break any copyright rules. This is simply a work of fiction made for enjoyment. No money is being made.

Rating: T for dark themes, graphic violence, mentions of torture, drug abuse, supernatural violence, major character death, and minor language

Author's Note: The Devil's story in this chapter is entirely made up and not theologically sound in any way. In this story, he is a work of fiction and a character that I have created/manipulated.

 

Chapter 41: Demons

Daisy can't breathe. She sees Robbie and Eli fall down the hole and she sprints to the staircase, skipping as many steps as possible without tripping. Her entire body is shaking with panic and adrenaline. When she reaches the bottom she rushes straight towards Robbie's body, which is lying with his limbs splayed out at. Eli had managed to twist their positions in midair so Robbie hit the floor first and cushioned Eli's fall, as if shooting him wasn't bad enough. Eli's body had rolled a few meters away, but Daisy pays him no attention.

Her heart is racing as she kneels by Robbie, taking in his bleeding body illuminated only by a dim light streaming from the hole above their heads. Two bullets had hit him, one in the left side of his chest and one on his right side, probably straight through his kidneys. There's blood everywhere. She can feel it soak through the fabric covering her knees and shins.

He isn't moving. She feels for a pulse, and she finds a weak one, but it's fading even as she senses it.

"Stay with me, Robbie," she begs, her eyes filling up and spilling over with tears. "Stay with me."

His skin is turning cold even as she hangs onto his hand. Why is it turning cold? He's not dead yet. And his skin is always warm.

There's so much blood. His eyes won't open. Daisy can't stop sobbing. Her heart feels like it has fallen into a bottomless abyss. She feels as though all the energy has been sucked from her cells. There's an aching emptiness in her soul as she realizes that there's nothing she can do to save him.

"You can't leave me. You still have to fix your car, and I still have to repay you for breaking it. How can I repay you if you're dead? And I'm not ready to take care of Gabe by myself, so I need you to stay alive. You know we'd kill each other if it was just the two of us."

He can't hear her. He's fading too fast. This is all useless. Daisy bows her head and sobs.

Suddenly something invisible slams into her, knocking her backwards. But instead of recoiling, it absorbs into her body. She can't resist it.

/I need you. And you need me./

The voice is familiar. She's heard it before.

"What are you doing in me!" she cries out, even more upset. "You don't own me."

/He's dying. I don't want to go back to Hell./

It's the devil, taking up residence in her. Robbie's sentence, now passed to her. She's more upset that it means Robbie is dead than the fact that she inherited it.

"But you had a deal with him! You just can't back out."

/I just did./

"Why me?" she shrieks, clawing at her temples. "Get out! Haven't I suffered enough!"

/You were the only one here with a passion for vengeance. And I am sorry about Robbie. I know what he meant to you./

Anger, hissing and boiling, rages through her veins. "You have no idea what he means to me! How can you be capable of feeling anything but spite and bitterness?"

/I know what's it's like to love so much you'd do anything to become just like that person. You've heard the stories about me. I loved God dearly, and I loved my brothers, especially Gabriel. Robbie and I are alike in that way. We shared a love of our brother Gabe, and a deep love for our parental figure./

"But you betrayed your own family. Robbie was the one betrayed. You are nothing like him."

/I simply wanted to be more like the one I looked up to. He grew upset at me and cast me away. My love was so deep, and in the pits of hell it turned to a hatred just as deep./

"It's been thousands of years! If you've been bitter that long you don't remember how to love." Daisy wipes away at her tear-streaked face.

/Believe what you want to believe. But I know Robbie loved you, even if he couldn't find the words to say it./

Daisy can't breathe again for a long moment as the pain is so strong. "What do you want with me?" she demands.

/I'll make you a deal. Finish what Robbie started with me, and if he survives, he'll be free of me./

"And if he doesn't survive?" Daisy touches his cold hand. "It doesn't look so good. What's in it for me?"

/You will get to avenge your parents and Lincoln, like you wanted originally. And if Robbie doesn't make it, you'll have the opportunity to avenge him, too./

Every cell in her body is screaming at her to reject it, but the anger inside her is stronger than anything else. "Okay. I accept."

/Swear it./

"I swear it!"

/We have to go./

"Go where?" Daisy grabs Robbie's cold hand again. "I can't leave him!"

/The others are on their way down. You didn't notice, but Eli started limping away while you were fighting with me. Follow him. We'll start there./

Daisy reluctantly picks herself up. Leaving Robbie is the hardest thing she has ever done, but the devil encourages her every step. Eli left no visible trail, but the devil gives her what she likens to a sixth sense; she can just feel where Eli had gone.

There's a secret door and a tunnel. Eli must have known it was here before as an emergency escape route. Daisy climbs through it and follows it up to the surface. She knows she has to be close to him, as he was hurt pretty badly in the fall.

He's just attempting to climb the ladder to the escape hatch when she catches up to him. She reaches out and roughly pulls him down without a word. He lands back on the floor with a thud, slowly rolling over to glare at her.

"Don't mess with me, girl," he warns, but his voice is hoarse and raspy.

"I'm not just a girl," she replies, and her voice suddenly changes. "I'm the devil."

"Ponder this: can the devil be affected by drugs?" Before she can comprehend what he's saying, he whips out a syringe from his pocket and stabs it into her leg. The needle penetrates her suit and enters her body.

As soon as the substance hits her bloodstream she knows what it is. "No," she hisses. She had just gotten over this addiction. It had ruined her life. No.

The last thing before reality warps is his laugh, cruel and heartless, and he climbs back up the ladder and slams the hatch closed behind him, sealing her in with the devil and their combined demons.

-

May and Coulson work their way through the second level, alerting the STRIKE team every time they come across an ICEd body.

The STRIKE team is busy cleaning up the mess on the first level. Mack and FitzSimmons are also up there, giving Yo-Yo a check-up. The bullet had hit her shoulder, bleeding heavily but not doing too much damage. It's not her first injury, and it probably won't be her last. May herself has suffered countless injuries over her years of working at SHIELD herself. It's a hazard that comes with the job.

"Where are they?" Coulson mutters. May knows he's worried about Daisy. In a way, she has become like a daughter to him. A rebellious one, that is, May thinks wryly.

"Eli probably didn't go down without a fight," she says. "We'll find them."

"Robbie has only failed one of his missions before," Coulson assures himself aloud. "They'll be okay."

They enter the last room, and still no sign of Daisy or Robbie. There is, however, a pile of two bodies by the door. By looking at their injuries, May can tell it's Daisy's handiwork.

May lifts her eyes and scans the room. She sees the jagged hole to the left and starts toward it. When she's within a few feet of the edge she sees the blood drops on the wood floor, and when she looks down, her heart sinks.

"I found Robbie," she tells Coulson, turning to him.

He looks up, his gray eyes big and full of concern. "That doesn't sound good."

"Call FitzSimmons down here. I'm going to see if he's still alive."

While Coulson pulls out his phone, May takes the stairs, her gun pulled out and held in front of her cautiously. She can't hear anyone else, but she won't take any risks.

If Eli managed to take out the Ghost Rider, then he's more dangerous than any of them accounted for. Of course, part of it could be that Robbie was reluctant and hesitated too much. Or maybe Eli had lots of bodyguards.

They don't know enough, and that makes May wary. She doesn't feel comfortable working with such high potential dangers.

But she has no say at the moment. Right now she needs to try and keep Robbie alive.

Even in the dim light she can tell his condition is bad. When she presses her fingers to his throat to feel for his pulse, she notices his skin is freezing. But he still has a weak pulse, so he's not dead yet.

Yet being the key word. His condition is beyond her first aid abilities, and she isn't sure he'll make it long enough to get him to a medical facility, or at least to Simmons's infirmary and lab.

May remembers Fitz's lecture on the ICER guns then. Coulson had told instructed them to take real guns on the mission, but May had grabbed an ICER, too. She pulls it out now and reluctantly shoots Robbie's arm with it.

Fitz had said the ICER solution would freeze bodily functions, like cryofreeze, so hopefully this gives Robbie more time. That's what he really needs right now.

May shines a flashlight around the basement level, but there are no other bodies or clues to where Eli or Daisy might have gone. Robbie's blood is still fresh and hasn't dried yet, so his injuries couldn't have happened more than ten minutes ago. Daisy must have left him behind to chase Eli.

May hadn't been happy when she heard about their relationship, but now she feels awful. May remembers seeing her own ex-husband die. They'd just begun to connect again when he'd become bait used by the same neo-nazi organization their former team member, Ward, had joined. Despite their best efforts, they hadn't been able to save him.

May had held Andrew in her arms while he died. That had killed her. She can't imagine how Daisy managed to leave Robbie like this in order to complete the mission.

Maybe Daisy is more loyal than they had all thought.

"I really hope you're a fighter," May murmurs to Robbie. "If not for your own sake, for hers."

Coulson, FitzSimmons, and Mack all find her a minute later. Simmons instantly runs to Robbie's body to check up on it. Fitz powers up the drones to begin a scan.

"I shot him with an ICER," May informs them. "He was fading fast."

"That was a smart move," Jemma says, examining his injuries. "I don't think he would still be alive if you didn't."

"We can't help him here," Fitz says, reading the results of his drones' scans. "We need to find a way to move him."

"But very carefully. He's in terrible shape." Jemma sighs, and she looks more upset than May has ever seen her before. "I don't know what to do."

"I called for a stretcher from the quinjet," Coulson offers. "The STRIKE team is bringing it down."

"But how do we get him up the stairs without jostling him?" Simmons demands.

"How strong are those drones?" Mack asks.

"They're nearly indestructible," Fitz answers. "What are you thinking?"

"Can they lift weight? Because you could use the drones to lift him straight up through the hole."

Fitz stares at his drones, thinking through the engineer's idea. "That could work…" he replies, trailing off into thought.

A few members of the STRIKE team come down with a stretcher. Fitz uses his tablet to direct the drones underneath the stretcher with the exception of one, which he uses to keep a video feed of what's ahead.

"We just need to get Robbie on it now," Fitz says, turning to the other agents. "You'll need to lift him on the stretcher."

"Very carefully," Simmons adds, hovering over everyone's shoulders, her eyes never leaving her patient.

Mack and Coulson lift him onto it carefully, and Fitz maneuvers the stretcher up through the hole in the ceiling using the drones.

May doesn't release the breath she's holding until they're all loaded back on the quinjet. Coulson sits in the co-pilot seat beside her while she prepares the aircraft for flight. "Where's Daisy?" he asks.

She doesn't make eye contact with him. "She wasn't there. She must have gone after Eli alone."

"No clues?"

She shakes her head. "None that I could see. She'll find her way back. She's strong."

"How do you know she'll survive if even the Ghost Rider is dying?"

May finally looks at him. "Because I trained her myself, and I know she can handle whatever comes her way."

She means every word.


	42. Visions and Verdict

Disclaimer: All rights belong to Disney, Marvel, and all the men and women that created the Agents of SHIELD TV shows, and comics. I take no credit, and I do not mean to break any copyright rules. This is simply a work of fiction made for enjoyment. No money is being made.

Rating: T for dark themes, graphic violence, mentions of torture, drug abuse, supernatural violence, major character death, and minor language

 

Chapter 42: Visions and Verdict

The poison fills her veins even as Daisy hits the ground. Her head cracks against the cement floor of the tunnel, but she doesn't black out.

The devil inside her writhes in misery. /What did he inject us with?/ it screeches.

Daisy barely manages to call up memories of the various explanations for it. The devil shuffles through them, but they are both quickly succumbing to the nightmares.

And just as their thoughts are intertwined, so are their hallucinations. They both have their own prominent fears that are brought out by the drug and wielded cruelly against themselves.

Instead of getting darker, the tunnel around them gets lighter. Orange and yellow light flickers to in front of them. The tunnel walls open up, and a faraway noise reaches her ears.

"Where are we?" Daisy whispers, feeling her heart thump and her stomach sink.

/The one place I've tried to avoid my whole existence./

Daisy shivers despite the incredible heat surrounding her. It's not a pleasant warmth, but an uncomfortable, sticky air, so humid that even the brief wind doesn't help. Daisy feels as if she's breathing in water, not air.

The smell of sulphur invades her nose, and she covers it with one hand. The ground at her feet liquefies into molten lava. She realizes the background noise is that of screaming. Not fearful screaming, but the type of screams that come from the worst pain imaginable.

"Why am I here? I didn't sell my soul to you! We didn't make a binding deal! This is only temporary!" Daisy wipes sweat from her forehead, and her heart races. "I didn't even die!"

Inside her, the devil shakes./ I'm here, so you have to be, too. You're my current vessel./

"This wasn't in the terms and conditions!" Daisy whirls and looks around, searching for an exit that doesn't exist. "Get me out of here! Do something!"

/I can't!/ The devil is as frustrated as she is terrified. /There's nothing I can do!/

Daisy covers her ears to try to block out the screaming, but it does no good. Even though Daisy herself isn't suffering, her heart feels heavy and the screams etch into her mind.

She's going crazy here, experiencing this, listening to the people's anguish. The strands of her mind are starting to unravel.

/You won't make it much longer,/ the devil says.

"That's good for you. I'll be an empty mind in a useful body."

/Not good. Sane minds are easy to control; mad ones impossible./

Their situation sets in: if Daisy goes crazy - which she slowly is - the devil is stuck inside her forever. The thought terrifies both of them.

She doesn't have to worry about it for long because one screaming voice rises over the others.

The devil recognizes it at the same time she does. After all, it's someone they both know.

/"Robbie."/

They say it at the same time, and Daisy is suddenly sprinting forward, desperate to find him. Each of his screams bestow within her a greater sense of urgency and a spike in energy.

He sounds like he's in pain. Immense, unspeakable pain.

She can save him, if only she runs faster, works harder, is better.

The sight she sees is cruel. Eli Morrow, his eyes flames, his smile wicked, stands in the middle of two cages. On one side is Robbie, speared to the back of it by thick, nasty spikes that protrude through his whole body and out the front, one from his left chest and one from his lower right torso. Somehow he's still conscious despite the blood and the injuries. On the other side is Lincoln, unharmed but with terror in his eyes.

In Eli's hands is a bar with two buttons. He doesn't say anything, continuing to smile at her with his despicable face.

/You have to choose one,/ the devil inside her explains. /You get to save one of them./

Her heart thuds to a stop. Her throat blocks up. Her eyes water. "What?" she forces out, her voice hoarse.

/You have to pick one to save./

What a cruel decision. It's not fair to play them against each other. Daisy shouldn't have to choose. She can't choose.

Suddenly flames erupt beneath both cages, as if to make her even more desperate.

/The stakes were not high enough. If you don't pick one, they both are lost./

Daisy looks first to Robbie. He's silent now, holding in his pain, but he's in horrible condition. Obviously he's suffered much. He's bleeding deeply from the spikes, and his eyes look agonized. He can't move or else the pain just gets worse.

Lincoln, on the other hand, is unscathed so far, but he's gripping the bars with white knuckled fists, his big blue eyes pleading.

How can she choose? She loves them both. They were both taken from her.

The flames start to rise. Lincoln jumps back from the front of the cage, his skin singed. Robbie can't move, and has no choice but to take the heat.

/You're going to lose them both!/ The devil screeches. /You can save one of them!/

But who does she save? The doctor, her first true love, who brought her flowers and jewelry and took her on expensive dates and who saved lives? The man her parents approved of and who had a safe and secure future planned out for the two of them? They would raise a family together in some nice suburbs and have barbeques with other neighborhood couples and she would have been blissful all her days. He would treat her well and she would want for nothing.

Or does she free the mechanic, her second and reluctant love, who brings her weapons and takes her on dangerous missions and takes lives. The man her parents would not like because he's rough around the edges and not wealthy. They only have hope for the future, and no plans. The only family they'd have is his younger brother and they'd probably always live in the small apartment above the mechanic's shop in a sketchy part of L.A., their only friends their co-workers. They'd fight a lot, but they'd always make up in the end. He would treat her well, though, and she would be more than content.

How does she choose which future she wants? Daisy would be happy with both. She would be happy with Lincoln's gentle love, and she would be happy with Robbie's fire. Rich or average, safe or dangerous, clean or rough - she would be content either way.

So how does she decide?

/They're running out of time!/

Then it hits her - she truly would be happy with either man. What she has to choose is which version of herself she would be happy with. When she was with Lincoln, she was what her name is: a daisy. She was pretty, and nice, and weak. The perfect girl for him. Lincoln liked being the hero, liked being the one in charge, and when she dated him, she was content with that. But since meeting Robbie, she's changed. She can no longer be innocent and weak. Now she's steel, forged in fire and stronger than before. With Robbie, they're equals. Neither of them are heroes, and both of them are satisfied with doing their best to eliminate crime and corruption in the city.

She can't go back to the days of hiding behind Lincoln while men with guns take her world away. Now she fights back. Lincoln wouldn't be in love with the person she's become.

Besides, Daisy has already lost Lincoln once. It killed her, but she overcame it and moved on. How is it losing him again if she never got him back again?

But Robbie - she hasn't lost Robbie yet. He's her present and her future. She can't lose him.

Daisy springs forward and slams the button to release Robbie. She watches his cage, but nothing happens.

"Release him!" she demands of Eli. "I made my choice!"

He lists his head to the other side. "And I honored it."

Daisy follows his nod to see Lincoln climbing out of his now-open cage. Boiling anger floods her. "You tricked me!" she screams. "I picked Robbie!"

"He's already dead. Look at him!" Eli flings his arm out toward his nephew. Daisy sees that Robbie has gone limp, his body still tethered to the back of the cage.

"I still chose him!" Daisy fights back tears.

"You didn't choose me?" She spins to see Lincoln looking at her with shock and hurt on his face. "But what about all we've been through? What about our love? Does it mean nothing?"

Although she feels hurt by his accusations, she knows they are empty. "You died! You have no more say in my life! You left and Robbie stayed."

"He left, too," Lincoln points out. "But I understand. Even when we were at our happiest I was never enough. You always craved danger and adventure. It's why you joined SHIELD in the first place."

It feels like he's reading her mind. Now that she's strong and independent, he doesn't want her. He doesn't like it. What if they had stayed together, gotten married, and then he realized the truth? Would he have stayed with her despite the problems? Or would he leave?

"Maybe we were never meant to be," Daisy spits out.

Her words hang in the air between them. For a long time, he just stares at her.

"So this is how it ends," he finally says. He shakes his head. "I always knew I could do better than you."

His words are like a knife through her, but she can't find any more words to say. She watches as he turns his back and walks away, and after a few steps he fades away.

Daisy feels herself beginning to fade away. She lunges for Robbie's cage, but her legs disappear, and as she falls she dissolves into millions of molecules that just float around the atmosphere of Hell.

-

Robbie is sixteen, Gabe in his last year of primary school. It's a warm summer night, and their parents have been saving up money for a few weeks to be able to afford a nice treat.

First they eat out at their favorite restaurant. It has a rooftop dining area, and the night is cool and clear. Robbie and Gabe exchange school stories while their parents sit back and listen with amusement.

There is no talk of the struggling finances, nor of the ever-increasing crime rate in the city, especially in the area they live. Tonight, there is only room for light conversations and funny stories.

The weight of the world is off their shoulders. Robbie had recently started his first job at Canelo's Body and Auto, a mechanics shop across town. Even though he's only been there a few weeks, he's already picked up on how to do things quickly.

He works every moment he's not in school to help support his struggling family. His grades are falling, but it's a small sacrifice. What matters most is the people he loves. As long as he has them, it doesn't matter if he gets D's in math and science.

Gabe is excelling where Robbie is failing, though. His teachers always have good reports for him, and he's even been called "Einstein", at the young age of ten. Papá thinks he should have named him Alberto Einstein Reyes, Jr., instead, partly after himself, partly after the famous genius.

Mamá talks about getting Gabe into a private school. They'd be even tighter than before financially, but only with a better education would he really be able to shine.

"It is hard for immigrants and foreigners like us to succeed here," she says, "but with hard work and great results, they cannot deny you. And if they do, you keep proving them wrong until they beg for you."

Robbie likes the sound of that. He doesn't look for fame or fortune, but he wants to succeed in simple things. He wants to prove the teachers at his school wrong when they tell him he's not smart enough to graduate. He wants to prove to the white cops that not all Latinos are cut from the same criminal cloth.

He wants to rise above the skeptics and be a good representative of his race. He wants to help turn stereotypes around.

Instead of getting dessert at the restaurant, Papá treats them all to /helado/, or ice cream. Robbie can't remember the last time he tasted the amazing substance. It melts on his tongue, sweet and creamy.

It's a perfect night. Just his family and him and their beautiful bond of love. And now, a stress-free night where they can enjoy life, not just live through it.

"I never want this night to end," Gabe sighs, crunching on the last of his cone. Robbie smiles at him.

"Race you to the trash," he challenges, and the two of them jump to their feet, flying towards the tin can.

When they return to the table with to their parents, Mamá laughs and shakes her head. "You two are going to throw up now. You shouldn't run so soon after eating."

"We have to run while we still can," Gabe replies. "One day we'll be old like you and unable to run."

"You think we can't run?" Papá teases. Robbie nudges Gabe with his elbow.

"Don't test him," he advises playfully. "/Vas a perder./"

Instead of taking the city bus, like they did on the way, they decide to walk home. It's only a mile, and the night really is nice.

Papá and Mamá walk ahead of the boys, swinging their intertwined hands to the beat of their steps. Robbie keeps Gabe several feet behind. Rarely do his parents have moments like this, so he wants to preserve this one for them.

"You and Lisa still hanging out after school?" Gabe teases Robbie.

"When I don't have work, yeah." Robbie can't help his small smile. "She keeps claiming that she's failing geometry as an excuse to see me. But I know better. I mean, who asks me to help with math of all things?"

Gabe rolls his eyes. "I'll never understand how the whole 'liking people' thing works."

"Just you wait. You'll be surprised."

The peaceful night atmosphere is quite literally shattered by the crack of a gun. Robbie grabs Gabe around the waist and pulls him down to the hard cement, covering their heads.

When the quiet settles down again, Robbie releases his brother and peers ahead. Three gang members with guns stand in front of their parents.

"Mam-" Robbie covers Gabe's mouth and pulls him behind a dumpster. They watch through a crack at the scene unfolding.

The three gang members shout at Mamá and Papá in a mix of Spanish and English. Robbie can't quite make out what they're demanding, but Papá's voice is calm and clear.

"We have no money. Here is my wallet. There is nothing in it. /Nada/."

The first thug snatches it and tosses it to the side. Mamá also offers her purse, to the same effect.

More words are trading. Robbie's heart races as he watches. His parents have offered everything they can. Hopefully the gang members will leave them alone.

"Are they going to be okay?" Gabe whispers.

Robbie has no answer. He just keeps watching ahead.

When he sees the thugs snap up their gun arms, Robbie's first thought is to cover Gabe's eyes. He takes one hand and does that, but he himself can't tear away his gaze.

The thugs fire exactly nine shots into Papá's body. When Mamá screams, they shoot her, too.

Robbie covers Gabe's mouth, smothering his brother's screams. The thugs glance around to make sure they aren't seen, then they run off into the night.

When he's sure they're out of earshot, he lets go of Gabe. His brother rushes from the cover of the dumpster and runs to their parents' bodies.

Loud sobs echo through the alley. "Why?" he cries, clutching Mamá's hand.

Robbie is numb. Even though he was the one to witness the crime, he can't accept it. It had been the perfect night. How had everything fallen apart so quickly?

"/Por que/?" Gabe repeats, and Robbie also wonders the same thing. If the thugs hadn't been after the contents of their wallets, then why had they shot them?

How can people be so cruel to just kill without reason or remorse?

Robbie feels an instant hatred for all gangs. He collapses to his knees by his brother, but he has no tears to shed. All he has is anger.

 

Their father's brother, an estranged uncle by the name of Elias Morrow, becomes their legal guardian. He never tells them why he and Papá separated, and neither of them ask. It doesn't matter; he's their only remaining family member.

Uncle Eli, or Tío, as they call him, accepts them with open arms. He's better off than their parents had been, but Gabe's new private school is expensive.

Tío supports Gabe's academic ambitions. He allows Robbie to drop out of high school to work full time to help keep Gabe and them sustained. He treats them like sons, and even though he works long hours, they soon grow close.

Robbie and Gabe have each other, and they have Tío. Four years later, when things fall apart at Tío's work and he has to go to prison, Robbie takes sole custody of Gabe and starts his own shop. And a year after that, when the accident happens, Robbie and Gabe grow especially close, despite Robbie's secret. Two years pass and Robbie promises that he'll never let himself be taken from Gabe like their parents and like Uncle Eli.

Robbie isn't sure where he is right now, but he knows he has to get back to Gabe. There's no one left for him. And Robbie swore to never leave him.

He's not about to break that promise now.


	43. Deals and Dreams

Disclaimer: All rights belong to Disney, Marvel, and all the men and women that created the Agents of SHIELD TV shows, and comics. I take no credit, and I do not mean to break any copyright rules. This is simply a work of fiction made for enjoyment. No money is being made.

Rating: T for dark themes, graphic violence, mentions of torture, drug abuse, supernatural violence, major character death, and minor language

 

Chapter 43: Deals and Dreams

The ground under Daisy's cheek feels gritty when she stirs. For a moment she thinks she's blind, for when she opens her eyes all she sees is darkness. But then she remembers where she is.

She sits up, her whole body protesting. The devil inside her also awakens, equally groggy.

/What was that?/ it asks.

"A hallucinogen drug created by Eli. It takes your fears and turns them into hallucinations." She rubs her eyes. "We didn't actually go to Hell. None of that actually happened. It was all in our minds."

Still, she fears for Robbie's life. What if he did actually die after she left him?

The devil doesn't answer her fears. She picks herself up and makes her way back through the tunnel to the warehouse.

/How are we going to find Eli now?/ the Devil questions.

Daisy doesn't have an answer. She just needs to make sure Robbie still isn't lying on the cold floor of the third level of the warehouse.

When she opens the hatch to enter the bottom level, she notices the floor is empty. When walks to where Robbie had fallen she sees a puddle of blood - an alarming amount - but he's gone. SHIELD must have either taken his injured or his dead body back.

As much as she wants to go make sure he's fine, she knows her time will be used better to at least find more information about Segundo Cielo and Eli Morrow's plans.

On her way up to the top floor, she comes across Robbie's chain. Something about it makes her pick it up and keep it.

There is a pile of bodies in the warehouse. SHIELD has mostly finished it's pick-up. As gross as it is, Daisy picks through some of the corpses bodies until she finds a vehicle key and a matchbox. Then she opens some of the crates with a crowbar that had been lying around. Most of them have drugs or weapons, but she finds one full of alcohol. She takes a few of the bottles and dumps it around the warehouse. As she walks out, she drops a match.

The warehouse burns behind her. Once far enough away from the heat, she takes out her scrouged key and hits the unlock. A motorcycle in the corner lights up in greeting.

She isn't as comfortable with driving motorcycles, but she had learned. She wads up the chain and sticks it in a bag attached to the sleek black body of the motorcycle before straddling the seat and kickstarting the engine. It roars to life.

"Where are we going?" she asks the devil.

It leads her through the streets to a dimly lit and grungy bar. /Only Fifth Street and Segundo Cielo members are patrons here/, it explains.

Daisy feels sick at the thought of killing, so she surrenders her body. The devil takes over, grabbing the chain and lighting it up before having her drive the bike straight through the front doors and into the bar.

True to the devil's word, all the patrons look pretty sketchy, many of them having gang symbols tattooed on their bodies. Daisy whips the chain through the air, disarming and maiming.

Daisy tunes it all out, not wanting to remember this later. It isn't really her. This is the Ghost Rider's work. She's just a puppet. For the first time in her life, she truly understands why Robbie hates this so much.

When only one patron remains conscious, the devil walks her body over to him.

"I'm letting you live," it says to the man through her. "You know why?"

The guys shakes his head quickly. "N-n-no," he stutters.

"So you can spread the word that the Ghost Rider is back. And ready to get vengeance."

The whip snaps in the empty air, and the man scatters. The devil has Daisy mount the motorcycle, toss a match into the bar, and drive out at full speed, the whole building exploding into an alcoholic fireball behind her.

After driving far away from the crime scene, Daisy takes over again.

"We're going to see Robbie now," she says firmly, leaving no room for argument.

The devil is still the greatest advocate. /What about our deal?/

"We don't know anything about Eli or the mafia's whereabouts. We're just wandering around right now."

She's not sure if the devil is frustrated because her argument is solid or simply because it wants blood. Regardless, she starts the motorcycle again and roars her way through the mess of streets back to SHIELD. The devil retreats in her mind, and Daisy is thankful for the reprieve.

She parks the motorcycle in the base garage in an empty spot, then jumps off and makes her way quickly to the main hallway. Yo-Yo and Mack are talking outside the lounge room, and they both turn to see her.

"You're back," Yo-Yo greets.

"Where have you been?" Mack asks.

"Where's Robbie?" she demands, sweeping past their concerns.

Despite being late at night, the base is alive. Agents are running back and forth, and the three of them blend in as they make their way to the hospital wing. Neither of her two teammates bothers to try and make small talk; they understand her rush.

They pass May and Coulson, both of whom also try to talk to her, but end up being blown off. Daisy feels slightly bad, but she has her priorities set.

Mack eventually leads her to the medical rooms, where Simmons intercepts them. She's wearing a white jacket over her normal clothes, a mask hanging around her neck and gloves half-tucked in her pockets.

"Daisy! I thought I'd be seeing you around." Jemma smiles.

"Is he okay?" Daisy almost doesn't want to hear the answer.

"He was in bad shape. But I think we're through the worst of it." She pauses. "He was really lucky, honestly. The bullets missed his major organs by centimeters, and where they did hit, they did amazingly little damage."

How is that possible if he was shot at point-blank range? Daisy prods the devil. /Was that you?/

/My hosts must stay alive until I can transfer out. You'll find you are difficult to injure and quick to heal./

Daisy doesn't relay this information to her friend. "Can I see him?"

Simmons's eyes widen. "Of course!" she exclaims, stepping back. "He hasn't woken up yet. And Gabe is with him."

She leads Daisy to the back section and slides the curtain open. Robbie is on a hospital bed, hooked up to an IV, machines around him gently whirring. Gabe has his wheelchair set up to the left of his brother. When he hears her enter he glances up, but he doesn't say anything. There are bags under his eyes, so Daisy wonders how long he's been here.

She finds a chair on the right side and pulls it up to only a couple inches from the edge of the bed, then sits down. She grabs Robbie's hand and holds it tightly.

His skin is still cold, but not so much as before. Daisy settles in to wait until he wakes up. She isn't leaving him. Not again.

-

The devil had burned through Robbie the first few times he'd been in control. It had been agonizing beyond words, but eventually he had grown used to the heat. It became his sole companion and his greatest weapon.

Now he feels cold. It's like he's in a frozen wasteland. Chills rush up and down his spine, and his skin is pallid, despite his darker skin tone.

The first time he'd died, everything had been black. Now everything is a startling white. He doesn't think he's dead. At least it doesn't feel the same way.

This empty nothing dampens his spirit, though he's not sure why. His memories are fading. He reaches into his mind to hold on to certain faces, but they fly out of his grasp.

No. He doesn't want to lose them. He can't. They're all he has left.

Wait. Who are 'they'? Who does he want to protect?

He can't remember, and it frustrates him to no end. He doesn't deserve this. He has worked so hard, lost so much -

He has, right? He doesn't know. Who is he?

He curses the white emptiness and he curses the universe. He curses anything or anyone that will listen.

A snatch of information returns to him in a flash. A name. Gabe. Is that his name? No, it doesn't feel right. He says the name aloud, and it seems familiar in his mouth. It must be the name of a close friend or family member. Someone he loves.

Another name comes to his mind. Daisy. That name sends a pang through his heart, although he doesn't know why. It must be an old lover. If she was current, he wouldn't feel such regret.

And a third name. Eli. This one is bitter on his tongue, and he spits it out. Whoever Eli is must have done him wrong. Serious wrong.

As he thinks about these names, more information comes to mind. Information that connects these people together.

/Gabe is in danger from Eli. Eli is in danger from Daisy. Daisy is keeping Gabe safe./

So where does he fit in? Who is he?

From far away, he hears a voice. "C'mon, Robbie. Wake up. I need you."

Somehow he knows the voice belongs to Gabe. It's a gentle, kind, and intelligent voice. He must be talking to him. He must be Robbie.

Robbie adds this to his information: /Gabe needs Robbie./

He strains his ears, but there's nothing else. Gabe must have fallen silent.

He reflects longer. Based on his bitter reaction to Eli's name, he adds, /Robbie at odds with Eli./

Now he just has to connect the last name, Daisy, to him.

/Robbie at odds with Daisy?/ No. that's not right.

/Daisy needs Robbie?/ No, it doesn't feel right, either.

So how does she coincide with him? Why is she so important that he remembers her?

Gabe still isn't speaking. Robbie again grows frustrated at his lack of memories. Obviously these people are important, that's why he remembers them, but why can't he recall everything?

"Who is she?" he screams to the emptiness. "I need to know!"

Someone in the universe is listening, because a moment later he's hit with memories, one after another.

His whole life is being replayed as if on a rewinded movie. He sees Gabe, a lot, and Eli, some, and Daisy, mostly recently.

He remembers who he is and why he feels so cold. He recalls why he remembers those three over everyone else, and the webs connected the four of them overlap and glow in complex lines.

The line between him and Eli is the strongest at /Eli betrayed Robbie./

The line along him and Gabe is shining at /Robbie is the hero of Gabe./

But the line that puts all those to shame is a shining, glowing bridge between him and Daisy. It makes the sun appear as a shadow. It warms up Robbie's cold body, and it puts his heart to ease.

/Robbie loves Daisy./

He has to wake up, like Gabe said. He has to wake up for Gabe and Daisy. He has to wake up to stop Eli. He has to finish what he started.

He forces himself out of the white nothingness. He forces himself to open his eyes. He forces himself to wake up.

The room he is in is white, but it's not empty. On his left is Gabe, seated in his wheelchair, his chin resting on his chest as he sleeps. Robbie watches him for a long moment, relief and a warmth putting his mind at rest. His brother is okay. He's okay, and he's here.

His arm is warmer than the rest of his body. He turns to his right, and his heart nearly stops.

Sitting on a chair next to the bed, the top half of her torso lying on the side of his hospital mattress, his hand clutched in her warm ones, is Daisy.

Daisy. She's here for him. They had separated, but she isn't giving up on him.

It means the world to him. The whole earth could burst into flames, but as long as he has these two at his side, he wouldn't even be upset. Because these two are his whole world.

He moves his hand from under her grip to rest it gently on her head, brushing her hair gently with his fingertips. She slumbers on, completely unaware, but he's in heaven.

He still has so much unfinished business, but it can wait. It can all wait for her.


	44. Fixes and Fights

Disclaimer: All rights belong to Disney, Marvel, and all the men and women that created the Agents of SHIELD TV shows, and comics. I take no credit, and I do not mean to break any copyright rules. This is simply a work of fiction made for enjoyment. No money is being made.

Rating: T for dark themes, graphic violence, mentions of torture, drug abuse, supernatural violence, major character death, and minor language

 

Chapter 44: Fixes and Fights

Daisy wakes up with an extremely sore body. She's positioned with her torso hunched over something. When she lifts her head and sits up, her back lets out a ripple of cracks.

For a moment she's disoriented, wondering where she's at, but then she sees Robbie watching her and it all comes rushing back.

"You're awake!" she exclaims, resisting the temptation to throw her arms around his body and pull him close.

"I have been for a while." He smiles at her, only a hint of his pain in his eyes.

"You should have woken me," she mumbles, feeling slightly embarrassed.

"You were tired. You needed rest."

Her embarrassment melts away. It doesn't matter how she feels; what matters is that she's here with Robbie, and he's okay. And for the moment, the devil is hiding away, given her some space to be with him.

She just stares at him for a long moment, still not believing her luck that he's alive and he's here with her. When he had been shot and fallen she had been sure he was dead. But he is a survivor.

"When I thought you were -"

Robbie stops her, then he turns to his left, where she sees Gabe watching them. Daisy hadn't even noticed the boy before. She had eyes for only Robbie.

"Why don't you get Daisy a cup of coffee from the break room?" he suggests, a polite way of asking for privacy for them.

Gabe nods and wheels himself out, leaving them alone. Robbie turns back to her. "I'm sorry. Please continue."

She struggles to think for a moment about how to say what she wants to express. "When I thought you were dead, I realized something. I realized that I couldn't lose you, either to death or to space."

He stares into her eyes, his brown ones intense. She takes a shaky breath before going on. His gaze always unnerves her and makes her momentarily dizzy.

"It wasn't until I almost lost you that I realized I'll take you in any way you come - with the devil, without it, with problems, without problems. It doesn't matter to me as long as I have you."

She swallows, not sure what else to say. She hadn't really thought things through past this confession. And even that she hadn't thought so much about.

"Besides," she adds as an afterthought, "I still have to repay you for your car."

He cracks a grin at that, and she feels relieved that what she had admitted wasn't too much at a time.

"I had almost forgotten about that," he admits. "I still haven't decided how you can repay me."

"We have been a bit busy lately," Daisy agrees. She glances over him, and her voice softens. "How are you feeling?"

His face twists, as if he's struggling to decide what to tell her. She waits a long moment before he speaks. "I'm in a lot of pain," he confesses. "The only reason I survived was because of the Ghost Rider."

"It keeps you alive past what normal humans could withstand, right?" she asks, playing dumb.

He nods, and his face darkens. "Daisy, I don't feel it inside me anymore," he says, his voice low and quiet. He grabs her hand tightly. "I think it's gone."

"Gone? But you haven't finished the terms of your oath!" Daisy has no intention of telling him what happened. She knows he wouldn't approve of her taking on that burden. He would only try to take the devil back, and that's not something she wants him to have to live with any more.

"Maybe I died for a few seconds or something. Not a real death," he clarifies, "but maybe my heart stopped and when it started again the devil was gone. Death might be a way out of it."

"Maybe," she agrees, but a sinking feeling in her heart betrays her real thoughts on the subject. Death is only a minor setback for the devil.

"It's really quiet in my head," he admits. "It's nice to have privacy again, but I also feel kinda lonely."

Daisy forces out a smile for his sake. "Don't worry about that. Gabe and I are both here. We'll keep you company."

At that moment Gabe wheels in, two coffees balanced in his lap. He passes one to Daisy, who gratefully accepts it.

Robbie looks back to Daisy. "We didn't get him, did he?"

She knows he's referring to Eli, and she isn't exactly happy to be the one to break him the news. "No. I tried to follow him, but he -"

She remembers the drug entering her veins again, and her heartbeat picks up. Her throat goes dry, and her limbs feel restless.

/Not again./ She isn't going to relapse. That three week period where she had been under the influence of that drug had scarred her. She isn't going back, even if her temptation had been renewed with Eli's last-ditch escape attempt.

"What did he do?" Robbie asks, bringing her back to the present.

She clears her throat. "He knew a secret exit. When I tried to follow him, he surprised me and knocked me out." Seeing the concern on Robbie's face, she flicks her hand in a dismissive motion. "It's nothing. I'm fine. In fact, I'm more upset that he escaped than anything."

Gabe glances between the two of them. "What are you guys talking about?" he questions, suspicion coloring his tone.

Robbie hesitates, shooting a look at Daisy. She nods, indicating that he should tell the truth to his brother. It's about time Gabe learned what's going on.

"I'm going to do my mission debrief. It's already a day late." She stands up and walks out, knowing that Robbie is going to want some space to talk to his brother.

Just because she's a big part of their lives doesn't mean she has to be a part of everything. They were brothers years before she met either of them, and the bond of brothers is a tight one. She doesn't want to infringe on that.

Daisy heads towards Coulson's office, ready to finally answer her co-workers' questions about her absence.

-

With Daisy gone, it's just Gabe and Robbie. Gabe stares at Robbie with such intensity in his eyes that the latter feels extremely uncomfortable.

But Robbie had promised to tell Gabe everything once the devil was gone, and the devil is indeed no longer residing in Robbie's head.

"I don't know where to start," Robbie admits, wringing his hands. They are still scabbed and itchy from his encounter with the glass wall.

Gabe doesn't ease off his gaze. "Why don't you start by telling me who the Ghost Rider is?" he demands, his voice edging on anger.

Robbie instantly knows the younger boy has caught on to more than he had previously thought. "You already know," Robbie replies. His heart sinks at the betrayal on his brother's face.

"I don't get it." Gabe shakes his head. "I always idolized you. You took everything in stride - our parents' deaths, our uncle's imprisonment, the accident. None of it seemed to faze you. Now I see that I was dead wrong."

"Would you rather I have acted how I felt around you?"

"I would have accepted you as long as you told the truth!" Gabe exclaims, and Robbie sees the depth to which he had hurt his younger brother. "But now I find out that you've been violently murdering people for years -"

"Not me," Robbie interrupts. "The Ghost Rider does that. He just uses my body. I'm not a killer."

"You are the Ghost Rider. Your hands committed those acts. It was your face those men saw as they took their last breaths."

No. It isn't like that. "Gabe, it's not me. You don't know the whole story."

"Then please tell it." Gabe expands his arms in an open gesture. "I'm listening."

"The night of the car accident - it started then." Robbie takes a deep breath. "I didn't survive that accident, Gabe."

The boy frowns. "What do you mean? Of course you survived."

Robbie shakes his head. "You know I'm the Ghost Rider, but you never asked how I became it. There's more to it than just little vigilante acts."

Gabe's forehead wrinkles as he thinks about it. "So what exactly happened?"

"I died during the crash. I was thrown from the car, and I hit the ground. I remember feeling nothing and seeing all black, and all I could think about was you." His eyes sting as he remembers that dark and hopeless moment. "I needed to stay alive for you. I couldn't leave you alone. And beyond that, there was anger. I wanted to get revenge on whoever had done this to us."

Gabe stares at him, eyes wide and sparkling. When he speaks, the anger is gone and his voice has a pleading tone. "Why didn't you just tell me all of this?"

"Because the story isn't over." Robbie sighs. "A voice come out of the nothingness and asked me if I was willing to get complete vengeance. It asked if I wanted a second chance. Of course I agreed. I wasn't going to leave you alone. I would do anything to get back to you."

"But you didn't read the fine print." Gabe shifts his eyes up and blinks in the way one does when they're trying not to cry.

Robbie swallows, feeling awful. He had known Gabe wouldn't approve. "No. I didn't even question. Whatever it was pulled you out of the wreck and then touched my shoulder. Fire burned through me, and the devil took up residence in my head."

"So it's the devil that does all the killings?" Gabe asks, dubious. His compassion has disappeared. Robbie senses that he's losing him.

"It is. He takes control of my body, and I can't stop it. Gabe, I'm not a killer." Robbie reaches over to put his hand on Gabe's, but the boy takes his hand out of reach. Robbie's heart plummets to the bottom of his stomach.

"Why were you and Daisy researching Uncle Eli the night you left?" Gabe demands, his anger obviously returning.

This is something that makes Robbie sick to think about, let alone tell, but he's tired of lying. "You've heard of Segundo Cielo. We realized that it's not a gang, it's the mafia. The whole smuggling operations is just a cover for their real plans. Uncle Eli has been the leader of it for a while."

Gabe's face turns to disgust. "Is there anyone who hasn't betrayed me?" he hisses.

"Gabe -"

"Don't even start." Gabe shakes his head angrily. "Oh, and I know Daisy is Quake, so don't even try to cover that up. Does she have an excuse for the people she killed? Is there another devil going around, possessing people's bodies?"

Robbie has nothing to say. Gabe doesn't need a response.

"You lied about everything. I don't even know who you are anymore." Gabe starts to wheel out.

"Everything I did I did for you!" Robbie calls out, starting to feel exhausted. "I made that oath for you!"

Gabe turns his chair sharply. "Don't you dare try to pin that blood on me. I would rather you dead than whatever the hell you are now."

His voice is a cold dagger that twists sharply as it enters its target. Robbie leans back against the hospital bed heavily, feeling suddenly very weak. Whether it's because of his injuries or his fight with Gabe, he's not sure, but he feels awful nonetheless.

Almost immediately Simmons enters the room, a tablet in her hand and a sheepish look on her face. "Good morning, Robbie!" she forcefully chirps.

He cuts past the pleasantries. "How much did you hear?"

She visibly cringes. "Well, I had to come check on you but I didn't want to interrupt..." she trails off.

Great. Now everyone is going to know how big of a mess Robbie's life is.

"I won't repeat anything," she assures him, seeing the look on his face. "Doctor-patient confidentiality."

"Huh." Robbie has nothing against her, but he's seen how close-knit the team is. He's sure at least the engineer, Fitz, is going to hear about it.

After an awkward moment of silence while she checks and compares his vitals, she straightens up. He expects her to give him a run down of his condition, but she goes a completely different route.

"He'll get over it, you know," she says tentatively.

"What?"

"Your brother, he'll get used to the idea of you and the whole Ghost Rider thing. Sometimes when something happens that changes everything, it just takes time to accept it."

As nice as that notion is, Robbie doesn't think it's likely. "You don't know my brother."

"He's smart, isn't he? Wants to be a scientist. He has lots of potential, I'll bet. Goes to a private school. He's young and impressionable, but stubborn, too. He wants to escape the city he was born and raised in. He wants to get out in the world, wants to prove his worth." She pauses for a moment. "Am I wrong?"

He shakes his head. "How do you know him so well?"

She shrugs. "He's the same as I was when I was his age. And lately he's been hanging around the lab with Fitz and I. But trust me on this, Robbie: he'll come around."

"How can you know?" Robbie asks, his voice edging on bitter. Gabe has made it through a lot, but this just might be the final blow. Being betrayed by the one person in the world he thought he could trust isn't easy getting over.

Jemma turns off her tablet and tucks it under her arm. "You know how close Fitz and I are. We were rivals first, then best friends through the academy and by the time we joined this team we were inseparable. He was my best friend in the whole world. Well, we got stuck in a bad position two years ago. We survived, thanks to Fitz's genius thinking, but he ended up with severe brain damage. You can imagine what that would do to a genius like him."

Robbie can. If your brains were among the best in the world and you suddenly couldn't use them the same way anymore, it could destroy your life, or at least completely change it.

"He wasn't himself anymore. He got frustrated so easily, and he gave up on things. He couldn't talk in full sentences, and his hands shook too much to do anything. I didn't know what happened to my best friend, and I was scared. I didn't want to see him like that, so I left on an undercover assignment that lasted months." She sighs. "It was the coward's way out, and although it took me a long time to realize it, I finally came around, and now the two of us are closer than ever."

Robbie doesn't want to be separated from Gabe for months. He just wants his brother back. "Some of us don't have the luxury of time. Trying to catch Eli nearly resulted in my death once already; I have no doubt things will get even more dangerous from here."

She nods. "I will talk to him, too. As a fellow scientist and a friend, not as a messenger from you," she adds.

"Thanks for not treating me like I'm different," he says as she starts walking out.

She turns around slightly. "I learned my lesson about that once. It's about time the others learn it, too."

Maybe things aren't perfect, but at least Robbie feels like there's one person on this base who is willing to stand up for him.


	45. Reports and Reprieves

Disclaimer: All rights belong to Disney, Marvel, and all the men and women that created the Agents of SHIELD TV shows, and comics. I take no credit, and I do not mean to break any copyright rules. This is simply a work of fiction made for enjoyment. No money is being made.

Rating: T for dark themes, graphic violence, mentions of torture, drug abuse, supernatural violence, major character death, and minor language

 

Chapter 45: Reports and Reprieves

"So after Robbie was shot, you chased Elias Morrow into a secret emergency escape tunnel where he surprised you and knocked you out. You were unconscious until yesterday, when you came straight from the warehouse by means of a stolen motorcycle?" Coulson looks up from the written report.

Daisy struggles not to fidget under his stern gaze. "I prefer the term 'scavenged', sir. But yes."

"How did Eli manage you knock you out?" May asks, scanning the report over Coulson's shoulder. "You're a trained agent."

"As I mentioned, he surprised me. What he lacks in physical strength he more than makes up for intelligence. Even Robbie was having a hard time fighting him." Daisy keeps her face blank and her posture straight, hoping they won't see past her slight story alterations. "And I might add I was under extreme emotional duress at the time," she continues. This statement is more than truthful. "I thought Robbie was dead."

Coulson's face softens at her words. "You did as best as you could, Daisy. Watching someone you love being hurt like that is one of the hardest things in the world." He and May trade knowing glances. Daisy wonders who they have lost.

"If Eli was able to take out the Ghost Rider then he is more dangerous than we anticipated," May says. "Unless Robbie was being soft on him."

She recalls the fight back in her mind. "No, I don't think he was going easy. Eli is just a brilliant tactician. He knew how and where to take blows to cost the least amount of damage, and he could use minimal force to inflict maximum damage. Robbie still would have beat him had he not pulled a gun and shot him at point blank range."

"I'll add that to his profile," May says. "We need to know what we're up against. Daisy, did you notice any weaknesses?"

Honestly, she had been pretty busy with her own fight. She had caught only snatches and then the end of the other skirmish. "No. Talk to Robbie about that. But I will mention that Robbie being his own blood relative did nothing to give him pause."

"That's harsh," Coulson remarks. "Talk about family issues."

"That's important, too," May replies. "It means that he's all in on this cause. I don't think we're going to be able to bring him in alive. From what it sounds like, he'd rather die than accept defeat."

"It's frustrating that no matter how far we get, we always end up back at square one," Daisy says, leaning back in her chair.

"The next time we find Eli, it'll be the last time he's ever seen in this world," Coulson replies. "And we will find him. Fitz is working on some new tracking technology."

"I'm just worried it's going to be too late by the time we find him," Daisy murmurs.

"It won't be the first time we've arrived to the party late," May mutters. Then aloud, "We know how to handle situations like that."

/Really? Because you're handling this one well so far./ Daisy bites back the sarcastic response and stands. "Can I go now?"

Coulson waves her out, and Daisy turns, only to hear May follow. Once the door to his office is closed behind the two of them, May confronts her.

"What's going on? You seemed tense the whole time." The older agent watches her closely. Daisy hopes she can keep her act together.

"I'm just really stressed about getting Eli. He's already caused so much damage, both personal and in general. I want to get this whole situation wrapped up."

May nods and turns, releasing Daisy from her perspicacious gaze. The two walk through the hallway together. "I understand. This is a rough first-mission for you. Things are always worse when they're personal."

Daisy lets out a sigh of relief that she didn't trigger any of May's super-spy alarms. The other woman takes that sigh as one of admittance.

"The only way to free yourself is to make it not personal," May advises. "Don't let your emotions take control. Tell yourself Eli is just an ordinary criminal that needs to be put behind bars. Compartmentalize."

Daisy nods, thankful for the unexpected advice. The two part ways, and Daisy heads to the break room to grab a drink.

She finds Gabe on the couch, laughing at something on his iPad, which is propped up on the coffee table. His wheelchair is within his arm's reach next to the sofa.

"What's up?" she asks, walking behind the couch to peer at the tablet screen. She smiles at what she sees. He's facetiming someone. And not just anyone -

"Marina!" Daisy steps around and plops on a cushion next to Gabe. He grudgingly shifts over enough for the camera to pick her up.

"Daisy?" Her former co-worker looks shocked. "What are - I mean, it's nice to see you and everything, but do you mind me asking how you know Gabe?"

"He did come to the shop a lot," Daisy points out, her tone light. "But I actually met him met him later."

"He's at the hospital with Robbie, though. What are you doing there?"

Gabe shoots Daisy a look, and she doesn't betray his cover story. "Yeah, well, I'm not actually here for Gabe." She shoots him a small apologetic smile. "I'm here for Robbie."

Marina's eyes widen. "Oh. So you and Robbie-?"

Daisy nods. "Yep. Who would thought that we would both get a brother?"

She sees Gabe roll his eyes, and she can't suppress a smirk. Marina laughs.

"This is great. You have to stop by the shop sometime. It's lonely."

"No one has taken my old job?"

Marina's face twists. "This creepy college guy. I mean, he's not creepy like pervert creepy, he's just one of those stereotypical nerds who have literally no social life and just play video games all day. I'm not particularly interested in talking to him any more than I have to."

Daisy feels a little bad. "I'll drop by as soon as my schedule clears up," she promises. She glances back at Gabe. "I'll leave you guys alone now. It was good to talk to you, Marina."

The other girl echoes the sentiments and then Daisy takes her leave. She hadn't noticed Gabe seeming upset, but only Robbie will tell her the truth about how their discussion went down.

She goes to find her boyfriend.

-

"Not so well," Robbie admits, answering Daisy's question of how his discussion with Gabe went. "He accused me of being a murderer and being the same as the devil inside." He frowns. "The devil that used to be inside me."

Daisy shifts. Robbie still can't get over how the devil just disappeared. "I don't know why it left. Simmons told me that my heart never stopped. So why did it leave?"

Seated in the chair beside him, she shrugs. "Don't worry about it. Just be grateful."

Her words take him by surprise. "Of course." He grabs her hand and holds it tightly. "I am."

He notices how stiff her posture is, and how tense her every word is. "What's going on?" he asks, his voice softening.

She shakes her head. "Nothing. It's just been a long few days."

He doesn't buy it for a moment, but if she doesn't want to talk about it then he won't push the matter. He trusts she'll tell him when she's ready. "Hey, I have some good news," he says, suddenly remembering.

"Good news?" she repeats dryly. "That's a phrase I never hear anymore."

She isn't wrong. At least there's one good thing to think about these days. "Simmons says I can move out of the infirmary. She doesn't want me to leave base for another few days, but I don't have to stay here."

He sees her eyes light up, and that's enough to make him happy, despite all the bad that's happened. It doesn't matter that his brother has abandoned him, it doesn't matter that they aren't any closer to catching Eli - all that matters is that Daisy is here with him, and she's happy.

"That is good news!" Her smile fades after a moment. "But where will you stay?"

It's a good question. Staying with Gabe in his SHIELD-issued room is out of question, but Robbie isn't going to ask for another one. He's already received enough charity from the organization.

"You can stay in my room," Daisy offers, a slight smile on her face. "After all, I owe you. I stayed in your apartment for weeks."

"I didn't know you had a room on base."

She shrugs. "Everyone who works here is issued one. I've never really used it before, though. Never needed to. But with the situation so tense, there's no reason to go home."

"You don't mind?" Although Robbie is sure she doesn't, he doesn't want to push too far too fast. Even though the two of them are strong individuals, their relationship has proven to be fragile still. It needs to be strengthened slowly with small trials, not large catastrophes like it has been so far.

She shakes her head. "Of course not. We can get you out of here right now, if you want."

Robbie agrees enthusiastically. He doesn't mind Dr. Simmons, or her friend, Dr. Radcliffe, but the smell of the infirmary reminds him too well of the days after the accident and of Gabe's many physical therapy sessions. The white walls are too falsely cheery and too plain at the same time, and it's cramped and isolated.

Robbie isn't a particularly social person, but even this is too isolated for his tastes.

Daisy watches him struggle to get out of the hospital bed. She appears to want to help, but at the same time is respectfully waiting for him to ask for assistance. He manages to stand on his own, feeling only slightly dizzy and with only a few sharp aches from his injuries.

"I still can't believe you almost died three days ago and now you're walking," she says as the two of them make their way slowly through the SHIELD base. "It's crazy."

"The medical technology here is years ahead of the rest of the world," Robbie replies. "I'm no doctor, but even I can see that."

"Then why don't they share it with the rest of the country?" Daisy asks. "It could save thousands of lives."

Robbie recalls a conversation with Simmons. "I think most of it is still in experimental stages," he replies.

"So they try it out on you?"

"For one, I am considered a criminal still, and for two, if I'm already dying, it's not like anything they try will do me any more harm."

She nods. "True. I get that." She glances over at him, a smile dancing in her eyes and fighting to break out on her lips. "So if you sprout an extra limb, I should report it to Simmons?"

He rolls his eyes and can see her shaking with silent laughter.

The base room is decently sized, like a slightly bigger hotel room. There are two parts to it, though no real wall between the two. On one wall is a stove, sink, refrigerator/freezer and a small counter, and against the opposite wall is a TV with a couch in front of it.

In the second part is a full sized bed with another, smaller TV and a desk with a lamp. A few feet from the bed is a white door that Robbie guesses leads to the bathroom.

"It's not much, but it's not bad, either." Daisy flops on the right side of the bed.

Robbie looks around for a long moment. A box of personal belongings she brought from her stay at his apartment is on the counter, but other than that the place seems untouched.

"You've never stayed in here before?" he confirms.

She shakes her head. "I've never needed to. But now I'm considering ending my apartment contract early and moving out for good. That place is much too far away. My whole life is within thirty minutes of this place."

"Are you going to come back to my apartment when this is all over?" He's almost afraid of the answer.

She locks eyes with him. "Depends on a lot of variables. But I have nothing against it, unless, of course, we break up again."

"We're not breaking up again," he promises, the words just coming out of his mouth. "No matter what."

She smiles a little, but it seems like a wry action to him, not a happy one. He pushes his thoughts away.

"I can sleep on the couch," he offers, changing the subject.

She shoots him a look. "Don't be ridiculous. That thing is tiny. The bed is plenty big, as long as you stay on your side and don't hog the covers."

Now he's the one with a small smile. "Okay. Deal."

When they settle in, everything's perfect. Robbie falls asleep almost immediately. His sleep is restless, though, and when he wakes up in the middle of the night, he notices he's alone in the room.

Where did Daisy go?

Her covers are pulled back, and her coat and shoes are gone. He tries to dismiss it as she was restless, too, and went for a walk, but he can't quite justify it.

Maybe it's because he also notices her keys are gone.


	46. Lost and Loss

Disclaimer: All rights belong to Disney, Marvel, and all the men and women that created the Agents of SHIELD TV shows, and comics. I take no credit, and I do not mean to break any copyright rules. This is simply a work of fiction made for enjoyment. No money is being made.

Rating: T for dark themes, graphic violence, mentions of torture, drug abuse, supernatural violence, major character death, and minor language

 

Chapter 46: Lost and Loss

Daisy hates the crawl out of bed a few hours later, and she hates leaving his side even more, but two powerful motivators drive her.

First is the devil inside her, forcing her to return to the work she promised to do. She had a nice break; now she has to start again. The stakes are higher now than ever.

The second is also coming from inside her, but it's not a voice in her head. No, it's a physical drive, a need to get something. Her throat is sore, her limbs shaky, her heart racing-

/What is this?/ the devil hisses, sensing it, too. /What other master do you serve?/

"Not one I want to, trust me," Daisy replies, but a pang of panic runs through her. This feeling is all too familiar. She had only made it through before because of Robbie's patience and perseverance; she isn't sure he has the energy to help her through it again. He's still injured and healing from the fight with Eli.

As hard as it is to do, she pushes the second motivator away, if only temporarily. "Okay," she says, half her herself, half to the devil. "Where are we going tonight?"

She holds her keys tightly in her hand so they don't jingle as she pads softly through the SHIELD base. None of the agents who are still awake notice her, and she makes it to the garage unnoticed.

She debates for a moment on which vehicle to take, but eventually decides on the stolen motorcycle. For one, no one can connect it to her, and for two, in case she gets chased or tailed, it'll be easier to slip out of notice.

The engine is loud, but she gets out of the building as soon as she can, driving past the huge doors and out into the cool night air. The one downside to riding a motorcycle is that it's extra cold with the wind whipping through your hair and biting into your skin.

She ignores the chill and presses on, not knowing where her end destination is but knowing the way through the directions of the devil. Neither of them say anything, but Daisy can just sense where she's supposed to go.

She parks in front of a crowded nightclub in the main drag of downtown L.A. People are constantly bustling in and out, going in dressed to the nines and stumbling out half-dressed and in a drunken stupor. Daisy wads up Robbie's chain in her fist and heads in, keeping her head low.

There are too many witnesses here. This is the perfect place for Eli to be safe from her. If she tries anything, the cops will be crawling all over her back.

She weaves her way in between dancers, ignoring the limbs bumping and jostling her. She makes her way towards the back, behind the DJ stand and out of sight from the customers.

There is a set of double doors, wooden and very much out of place. She ducks in a dark corner, noting the two guards. Unlike the club bouncers, these guys seem serious. They aren't going to be swayed by a pretty face.

Daisy makes sure she's out of sight of any casual observer before stepping out of the shadows and jumping the first guard. She acts as lightning strikes, shooting out and then disappearing without a trace. The second guy goes just as quickly.

Part of her stealth is due to her training with May, part of it is the devil inside of her, but most of it is because the bass throbbing and the music pumping into the club behind her. She can barely hear her own thoughts over it.

She continues on, slipping into the out-of-place doors and entering a whole new world.

The music is also entirely muted on this side of the doors. She's in a long, carpeted hallway. The floor is an olive green and the walls are a dark cream. It's a completely different world than the one she just left.

There is another set of heavy wooden doors ahead, and to her left a winding staircase. She heads up the staircase, her feet barely a padder against the ground.

There's a large loft room at the top, with only two walls. The two outside spaces where there are no enclosures face the room at the end of the hallway. It's completely empty in here, only a small cot with folded blankets and a desk pressed against the inside wall, but she can still hear voices floating up from the room below.

She creeps closer to the railing, and the voices grow louder. One of them is familiar, although she can't exactly identify it.

"We have everything in position. All the hired men have their shipments, and they're all set up. We just need the word."

It's a middle-aged man, that much she can tell. The other voice sends chills down her spine and causes her heart to race.

"Good. There are some...bumps I wanted to eliminate, but they have proven to be determined. However, they are also always a step behind. If we act soon, they won't get wind until it's too late."

Eli Morrow. She's recognize that voice anywhere.

The devil jumps out, and Daisy barely manages to quiet it down.

/We need to wait until we hear their plans/, she admonishes./ Then we'll take them out./

The devil doesn't like it, but stays docile for the time being.

"Then let's start tonight. There's no reason to wait." The man sounds urgent. Daisy takes the risk to pop into the open and peer down at the two men.

The one is obviously Robbie's uncle, but the second man -

She gets a sudden flashback to when she had been kidnapped. When she'd woken up in that dark room over a month ago, there had been a well dressed man among the gangsters. She had assumed him a politician or lawyer of sorts; he had slipped her mind, but now she remembers him clearly.

The devil inside her stirrs up, and this time Daisy doesn't push it down. She knows Segundo Cielo is going to start tonight. And she has to stop them.

She stands up suddenly and leaps over the rail, rolling on impact when she lands on the floor below. The two men jump back in surprise. Eli grabs a gun from the table behind him and points it straight at her chest.

"Are you going to shoot me like you shot Robbie?" she challenges as she stands. "He died, you know."

She hopes the lie will emotionally compromise him. He does appear taken aback and for a quick moment, a lost and distant look shadows his eyes. Even he isn't completely heartless.

But he pushes it away. "If I can kill my own blood then what would stop me from killing you? You're nothing."

Daisy hears movement behind her, but it's not threatening to her, so she ignores it. "Oh, I'm something, alright. I'm more than just your flesh and blood. I'm your twin."

"My gemelo?" he scoffs. "I don't have one."

Daisy can feel her eyes literally flaring up. It's kind of empowering, in a way. "Satan is offended that you deny him."

Eli's eyes widen. He moves the gun in front of him, and she can see that it isn't a real gun, or at least not a normal one. She lets her ball of chains loose so that the sharp end hits the floor alongside her leg.

"If you wanna play, I'm game." Daisy feels the devil taking over, and it uses her to swing and whip the chain around. Eli ducks and dodges, and then he quickly aims and fires at her.

A dart-like projectile grazes her skin. She ignores it at first, but it isn't pain that gets her attention: it's a glitch in reality. One first, then another, like a scratched DVD.

He fires more at her, and she's forced to take some direct hits. Only too late does she realize what's in the darts.

That same damn hallucinogen that keeps coming back to ruin her life.

"We'll flood the city with these," she hears Eli saying, his voice distant. "You know the firsthand effects of it. Don't worry, soon everyone will be just as addicted as you are."

She doesn't even realize she's on her knees until she starts forward, only to fall. The room is spinning all around her, and she can't tell up from down. There's a ringing in her ears.

She's losing her senses. "Help me!" she begs of the devil. "Take over! Get us back to Robbie!"

For once, the devil complies. She feels herself stumbling to her feet and towards the door. The devil and her fight for control of her brain as the drugs set in.

Now the rare glitches are of reality. She can tell the politician man had run earlier while she faced Eli. The carpet is alive with insects. She can see the doors in front of her. The faces in the portraits are mocking her. The night club is still pulsing, unaware of the plot to take over the city. Daisy is drowning.

She manages to get on her motorcycle and start it up, then she starts flying through the streets. She continues fighting through the hallucinations, knowing one slip up could end with her immediate death.

She glances in the side mirror and sees the city lights wink out of existence behind her. Another hallucination.

/You're losing it!/ The devil accuses. /You're a damaged host, serving the master of your addictions more than me./

"It's not like I have a choice when I am forcible injected with that stuff!" she argues.

/Doesn't matter. When we go to Robbie, I'm taking him back./

"We had a deal!"

But Daisy is more focused on the lights disappearing than on the argument. She starts slowing down her motorcycle, sensing that what she's seeing isn't actually a hallucination.

It isn't fast enough. When the wave reaches her and the motorcycle's engine sputters and then suddenly stops, she's thrown from her seat and hits the pavement hard.

Pain springs up everywhere. For a long moment she lays there, her cheek gritting into the concrete road and the iron tang of blood filling her mouth.

She can't even fight the devil when it takes over, dragging her to her feet and towards Robbie.

"You can't go back to him," she mumbles, every word a fiery stab of pain. "We had a deal."

/Not a binding one, as you pointed out a few days ago. You can't have it both ways./

Daisy just wants to protect Robbie. And she wants to stop seeing things that don't really exist.

-

Robbie searched through the entire base for Daisy. He even convinced a sleepy Fitz to let him see the security cameras that cover every single inch of the compound. Unless Daisy is in a restricted area, she's not here.

Mack rushes in a few minutes after Robbie gives up on his search. His face is panicked.

"The garage door is wide open," he declares, breathing hard.

"Are any of the vehicles missing?" Fitz asks.

"Just an unregistered motorcycle that I was supposed to impound tomorrow," Mack reports.

"Dios," Robbie swears, realization setting in. He knows what happened.

"What?" Mack and Fitz ask at the same time.

"Daisy had a motorcycle key on her key chain. I'd never seen it before."

Fitz snaps his fingers. "That's right. She stole it from the warehouse we tracked Eli to."

"But where would she be going?" Mack questions. "It's the middle of the night."

Robbie doesn't know her exact whereabouts, but he knows what she's doing. "She's going after Eli."

"Does she know where he is?" Mack shoots back. "The rest of us have no idea."

"She doesn't know exactly where she is. She's just sensing the location."

"Sensing? Like psychic?" Fitz asks.

"No, like - I can't describe it." Robbie rubs his forehead. "It's complicated."

Before he can start to explain, there's a commotion out in the halls. The three of them trade looks before rushing out of the security room and towards the noise.

Coulson and May are ushering in a bloody Daisy. In spite of his frustration towards her, he feels a pang of worry. She looks really bad right now, limping heavily and acting dazed.

"What happened?" May asks, and from her tone of voice, she's already asked this same question before.

Daisy braces her hands against the wall. "There was an EMP blast or something. All the power in the city went out."

"It must not have reached here," Fitz remarks, very much stating the obvious. "We're just on the outskirts. We got lucky."

"All of downtown is dark," Daisy continues. "Anything electrical is just wasted. I was riding my motorcycle back when it reached me and I was thrown off."

"You're lucky you're still alive," Mack notes. She vaguely nods, and Robbie can tell she's out of it. So far she hasn't noticed him, and he isn't sure to be hurt by that or not. Then again, she is injured pretty badly, so he shouldn't be so selfish as to expect her to notice him.

"What were you even going out for?" Coulson asks, putting a hand on her shoulder gently but firmly.

Her forehead creases, as if she's having an internal argument - Robbie has seen her do that before, and suddenly everything is much worse. He's not sure if it confirms his previous theory or it brings a whole new one to the surface.

He steps forward, now a few feet away but directly in front of her. "Daisy, what happened?"

Her head whips up, sees him, and then her eyes widen. She half starts towards him, then suddenly stops herself. It's as if two people are waging war inside of her for control.

He's all too familiar with that feeling.

The others are looking at her with serious concern. Robbie hears another set of footsteps, and he turns to see Jemma joining the group.

"Oh my gosh, Daisy!" The scientist clamps a hand over her mouth in shock. "Are you okay?"

"What happened?" May repeats, her tone bordering on frustration.

"I found Eli," Daisy manages, pressing her fingertips to her temples, squeezing her eyes tightly shut and looking pained.

"She needs medical help first," Jemma insists, staring at Coulson intensely.

"What's wrong with her isn't physical," Robbie corrects. They all turn to him.

"Do you know what's going on?" Mack asks. Robbie ignores them all and turns back to Daisy.

"What does it want?" he asks her.

She shakes her head without opening her eyes. Her fingers press more tightly to her skull.

"You can't fight it forever," he says matter-of-factly.

She finally opens her mouth and speaks, her words forced out and her tone full of cracks. "It wants to leave."

Robbie knows for sure now that the devil left him only to enter her mind. Part of him is eternally grateful for her sacrifice, but most of him is pissed. "Why did you do it?" he demands, his anger apparent. "Why would you make that deal? If I had died that night, it would have died with me. Instead you kept it alive."

"I didn't have a choice!" She finally looks up, her eyes burning with agony. "I never made deal. At least not a binding one. It just took over because it thought you were dying and it wanted a host!"

With this new news, he's not sure if he's more pissed at her for not fighting it or at the devil for breaking their oath. Maybe Daisy didn't make a binding deal, but Robbie did. He sold his soul, and the devil betrayed him.

"It can't do that. We had an oath. Breaking that oath has serious consequences that even it can't ignore."

"Well, it obviously did!" She suddenly doubles over in pain.

"Why does it want to leave?" he presses, sensing his window of opportunity closing.

"I'm a damaged body. It doesn't like me. I don't serve it well enough. Does it matter?" Her voice is one of agony, and Robbie feels awful for her. He knows how much it hurts to try and fight it.

"Where is it planning to go?" He steps forward, closer to her, and she takes a bigger step back.

"Don't touch me," she warns, her tone a borderline growl. "It wants to go back to you."

As much as he loathes the devil's presence in his mind, he hates it even more for taking advantage of her selflessness. He doesn't want it back, but if it means setting her free, he'll do it.

"Let it come back. It broke our deal. It has to pay." Robbie's voice is firm.

"I took it so you wouldn't have to deal with it anymore!" she protests. "It's staying right where it is!"

"It's killing you!" Robbie isn't exaggerating. She looks awful right now, and he knows exactly how much pain it can cause when it's mad. "It's tearing your mind apart. Let it go."

"What is happening?!" Coulson nearly yells, stepping between them. "Somebody tell me right now."

Robbie takes a deep breath to suppress his mounting frustrations. "The night Eli shot me, the devil left. It took over Daisy, since she was the only one near me. Now she's the Ghost Rider. But the devil wants me back, so it's torturing her by tearing apart her mind."

Coulson rubs his forehead, but he doesn't say a word. Robbie notices Daisy is half-focused on Coulson, half on the fight with the devil, so he reaches out and places his hand on her shoulder.

A raging fire immediately consumes him, or at least that's what it feels like when the devil returns. He hears Daisy cry out in protest, but he can't really think past the pain.

His brain isn't lonely anymore, but the company is definitely unwelcome.


	47. Cars and Candor

Disclaimer: All rights belong to Disney, Marvel, and all the men and women that created the Agents of SHIELD TV shows, and comics. I take no credit, and I do not mean to break any copyright rules. This is simply a work of fiction made for enjoyment. No money is being made.

Rating: T for dark themes, graphic violence, mentions of torture, drug abuse, supernatural violence, major character death, and minor language

Author's Note: Double-posting because it's been a while - lo siento

 

Chapter 47: Cars and Candor

Daisy feels the devil drain out of her like a hot gust of dry heat. All her energy dissipates, and her legs are too weak to hold her up. She falls on her knees, one last protest escaping her lips.

It's too late. She lost. Robbie took the burden back. Her eyes sting with the rush of pain. She wanted for him to never deal with the Ghost Rider ever again. And she failed.

Someone crouches down and grabs her arm. She thinks it's May, but she can't bring herself to turn her head. Or to care.

Not only did she fail to protect Robbie, kill Eli, and stop Segundo Cielo; now Robbie is mad at her, too.

Coulson is the one who finally breaks the silence. "Can someone please explain what just happened?"

She hears Robbie say, "I'm back to being the Ghost Rider. Daisy is free now."

The hand on her arm tightens. "Daisy, where did you go?" May asks.

She might as well tell them the truth. There's nothing to hide now. "I went to find Eli."

"Did you find him?"

She nods. After a moment, she continues, "He shot me with a dart that contained the super drug. I was trying to get back here when the EMP hit. He escaped, along with some other guy, but I overheard their plans."

"You have to tell us everything," May presses, moving to be right in front of her. Daisy shakily pulls herself off the floor to a standing position.

"I don't know all the specifics, but it's going down tonight. It's probably already started. The EMP was the first step. The gang members from Fifth Street have those dart guns loaded with the drugs. They're going to inject the main part of the city with it. It's going to be like hell down there. And the power is out, so everything is one hundred times worse."

"They can just hide in the shadows," Mack realizes gruffly. "We won't see them until they shoot us up with the drug."

"How can we get to Eli if we're all hallucinating?" May asks. For a long moment, there's nothing but silence.

"The drug doesn't affect me as much as the rest of you," Robbie offers. "I can go after him. I'll stay sober enough to at least distract him."

"You can't take him alone," Daisy interjects. She's seen firsthand how tough Eli and the mafia and the gang are. And if Robbie is trying to fight off the super drug and all those people at the same time...not to mention that Eli must have at least one other trick up his sleeve in case things start going south for him...

"You need bait," May says. As soon as she suggests it, Daisy knows she's right. They need someone to distract Eli long enough for Robbie to sneak up behind him and take him out.

"But who?" Coulson asks. "We still have that problem of the drug. None of us have been exposed to it before; one shot and we'd be compromised."

"You're wrong," Daisy says quietly. Her heart is racing like crazy as a plan starts to form in her mind. It's crazy, she realizes; possibly even suicidal. But it might just save the city.

Yo-Yo looks at her like she's crazy. "Do you have an antidote hidden somewhere?" she asks.

"We don't," Jemma answers, also giving Daisy a strange look. "Fitz and I have been working on trying to create one, but we don't even know all the compounds that are in the original formula."

Fitz crosses his arms over his chest defensively. "I've never seen anything like it before. Not many people are smarter than us, but Eli Morrow is one of them."

"Coulson wasn't wrong about the drug. He was wrong when he said none of us had been exposed to it before." Daisy pauses and watches for their reactions. She can see that some of them are starting to think along the same lines as she, but they're not connecting the dots fast enough. "I have had that stuff injected into my system dozens of times. When I was addicted, I had already started growing a resistance to it. I needed higher and higher doses to get the same effect."

Jemma's the one who picks it up first. "She's right!" she exclaims. "The dosage Segundo Cielo and Fifth Street have loaded into the darts will be small - enough to incapacitate someone who hasn't been exposed to it before, but not enough to compromise someone who has been exposed to higher dosages over a long period of time. She still gets some of the effects, but she can push through it."

"You want Daisy to fight Eli Morrow herself?" Yo-Yo asks. "I do not see how that is a good idea."

"Not fight," May corrects. "Act as bait."

Daisy feels triumphant that they finally understand her plan and that, by the looks of May's face, grudgingly agree that it's a good idea.

And to think that she had once been nothing but a hacker. Daisy is pleased by how far she's come. She knows her plan is dangerous, but it's a challenge she's ready to face. After having the devil inside of her mind...well, it doesn't seem like Eli could be much worse.

"No," a low voice calmly argues. Daisy looks over to see Robbie's stubborn expression. "It's too dangerous."

"I can handle it. I have plenty of training," Daisy insists. "And it's not like this is the first time I've fought him before."

"You're underestimating Eli. If there's one thing I know about my uncle…" He shakes his head. "No. Being the bait will certainly get you killed."

"It's not your choice." Her voice is hard. She appreciates that Robbie is trying to protect her, but this isn't about her and him and whatever is between them. It's about the city and about saving as many lives as possible.

Coulson looks undecided for a minute, but eventually he just sighs. "She's right. We need her to act as bait. Mack and Yo-Yo will go as backup - but stay out sight if possible. If Eli is going to have tricks up his sleeve, then Daisy will have a card of her own."

Yo-Yo nods. "I can run fast enough to snatch the darts out of the air as long as I see it coming in advance."

"May, Fitzsimmons, and I will go into the city and try to disable the EMP." Coulson looks around the circle of agents, his gaze settling on Robbie. "Can you kill him?"

"The devil is more than ready."

Coulson doesn't blink. "Can you kill him?"

He's not asking if Robbie is powerful enough; he's asking if he can kill his own family, his relative, the man who was like a father to him. Daisy finds herself as curious as the other agents as to what Robbie will say.

Robbie hesitates for a long moment, then nods once. "I will have to."

"Good." Coulson turns back to the others. "Suit up and head out. Fitz, make sure all the comms are working. We're going to need to communicate if this is going to work. The sooner we get back to the city, the sooner this nightmare is over."

"One problem," Jemma says quickly, freezing the others. "We have no way of getting in the city with the EMP pulses disabling the quinjet and our automobiles."

"She's right. Anything electrical will just stop working." Ftiz rubs his forehead. "Unless you intend us to ride bicycles into the city."

"Lucy," Robbie says. Everyone turns to look at him, puzzled.

"Who's Lucy?" May demands.

Daisy knows he's referring to his car, not a person, but she doesn't how it will change anything. "Nothing electrical works, Robbie," she explains gently.

"Lucy is my Dodge Charger," he tells the rest of the team. "1969. No electrical parts. I can take Daisy, Mack, and Yo-Yo to within a mile of Eli, drop them off, and then circle around so that I'm at his back."

"That...would work," Mack says after a moment of thought. "And I bet we can find at least one other old vehicle that could get the rest of you guys into the city."

"Mack, get on that. The rest of you, go get ready. We don't have any time to waste."

-

The team splits up, each heading their own way until only Daisy and Robbie remain. For a long moment, they shift their feet and avoid looking at each other.

"I'm sorry," Daisy finally says. He can tell she's reluctant to look him in the eyes. "I should have told you that I had the devil inside of me. I just didn't want you to suffer anymore."

It means a lot to him that she was willing to take on such a burden, but he's also upset. No one should have to carry that kind of weight around. And what if she had gotten consumed by it? He would never forgive himself.

/You'll pay for breaking our deal,/ he warns the devil./Even you have to honor your word./

"Robbie? Please say something."

He hadn't realized how many seconds had passed. "I don't know what to say, Daisy. It isn't your fault that it happened."

"So you're not mad at me?"

"Not for that." He narrows his eyes slightly. "I'm not happy that you offered to be bait for Eli."

She crosses her arms defensively. "I'm the only one who can do it, Robbie. I have to. And I'll be okay because you'll get to him before he gets to me. I trust you."

She has so much faith in him. He's not sure he deserves it. But if he's determined to save her, and the devil is determined to destroy Eli...then maybe she'll be alright.

It will have to be enough.

"One way or another, tonight is Eli's last night." Robbie reaches forward and grabs her hand. "All of this will soon be behind us."

Daisy gives him a sad look. "I wish that were true. But you're still the Ghost Rider."

Robbie frowns. "The devil should leave after I kill Eli. I will have fulfilled my end of the deal. And it's not in any position to deny me; it broke it's side of the oath. If I didn't need it to kill Eli, I would have cast it out already."

"That's not what I mean." She slides her hand out of his slowly. "The local law enforcement wants your head. The government even wants to make sure the Ghost Rider never sees the light of day again. Coulson has only granted you this much freedom because he needed you to take down Segundo Cielo. Once you free Eli, you're going to have the pay the consequences of your...your night job."

Robbie swallows hard. Of course he knew that was coming, but he had forgotten. "They won't grant me immunity for taking down Eli? I won't be an issue anymore once the devil's gone."

Daisy shakes her head. "It doesn't matter. You did too much damage. Someone has to be blamed for all those deaths. It might not be fair, but it's what will happen. At best, you'll get life with chance of parole."

He feels his heart sinking. He can't leave Gabe all alone. He doesn't want his brother to know what he's done. Eli's crimes will already be all over the news; Robbie can't afford for the kid to have to see his, too.

"You - you'll take care of Gabe for me, right?" he asks, trying to keep his voice even. Few things scare him anymore, but his brother's fate is one of them.

Her eyes soften. "Of course."

Another thought occurs to him. "But won't you get in trouble for being my accomplice?"

She presses her lips together and shrugs. "I'll get in trouble, probably get fired, but I won't get jail time or anything. The government will cover it up. They can't risk the bad rap they'll get for it. Coulson will probably put in the official report that I was a spy trying to gain as much knowledge from you as I could. That will be the official story, should anyone try to dig into it."

At least she'll be spared. That's one good thing he can look forward to. "Gabe won't trust you if he hears that."

"I'll tell him the truth. By then, it won't matter. It will all be over with." She starts to reach out, then draws her hand back. "Just...try not to worry about it for now. Enjoy the time you have left."

She's right, but Robbie doesn't see the point in trying to "enjoy" his last hour of freedom, especially since he'll be spending it trying to kill his uncle.

Will he even get to say goodbye to Gabe?

Will Gabe even want to see him anymore?

He's not sure which terrifies him more.

"We better go get ready," Robbie says, trying to shut out his fears. "We have a city to save."


	48. Armbands and Aid

Disclaimer: All rights belong to Disney, Marvel, and all the men and women that created the Agents of SHIELD TV shows, and comics. I take no credit, and I do not mean to break any copyright rules. This is simply a work of fiction made for enjoyment. No money is being made.

Rating: T for dark themes, graphic violence, mentions of torture, drug abuse, supernatural violence, major character death, and minor language

Author's Note: About two more chapters left.

 

Chapter 48: Armbands and Aid

"Daisy! Wait!"

Daisy pauses in her stride, glancing back at the science lab. On the other side of the glass doors, Fitz is running towards her, something in his hands.

"What?" she asks, walking towards him. She'd just suited up and was heading towards the garage. The more time they waste, the more time the mafia has to destroy the city.

"I've been working on these for a while, and I meant to give them to you earlier." Fitz holds out the items in his hand. They look like the casts you get for when your arm breaks, only these are thin and not bulky and a charcoal gray color.

"What are they?" She turns them over in her hands, surprised at how flexible they are.

"I was inspired by your vigilante name, Quake." He motions for her to follow him into the lab. In the back, far away from the tables covered in fragile instruments and glass tubes full of chemicals, several random objects like chairs and a desk are set up. "You slide them on your forearms. And here," he adds, reaching up and attaching some sort of metal thing behind her ear. "That little device is what makes these work."

"What do they do?" she asks, slightly exasperated. She pushes up the sleeves on her uniform and slides one on each arm. He must have made them custom-fit, because they feel like an extension of her arm.

"Aim at that chair and think about pushing it away," he instructs. Then he steps back a few feet and watches anxiously.

She's kinda nervous about this, but she trusts Fitz. She takes a deep breath and shoves her palms out, squeezing her eyes almost closed.

The result blows her away - literally. She staggers backwards as pulses of air shove the chair back so hard and fast that it shatters against the wall. The other chairs and the desk also tremble and some of them slide backward.

She stares at the bands in astonishment for the longest time. Fitz beams.

"It suits you perfectly! Now they'll really have a reason to call you Quake."

Daisy's face breaks out into a smile, too. "Thank you so much, Fitz. I have no idea how you made this, but it's amazing."

"Just take care of Eli, okay? And don't get yourself hurt."

She nods. Although she wishes she had more time to learn how to use her armbands, she'll just have to learn on the fly. At this moment there are criminals sending darts full of a superdrug into innocent civilians, and only her team and Robbie can stop it.

"I'll see you after," she says, then darts out of the room.

-

Robbie drives through the black city. The window on his side is cracked, and they can hear the screams and shouts of the citizens as Segundo Cielo and Fifth Street appear and disappear in shadows.

Robbie drops Mack, Yo-Yo, and Daisy off a mile from the garage where an interrogated gang member had said Eli was hiding.

Daisy is the last one out of the car. She opens the door, then pauses, turning back to look at him. For a long time they say nothing.

"Don't let him outsmart you," Robbie finally says.

She nods. "Be quick so he doesn't get the chance."

She reaches her hand out and places it over his on the clutch for a moment. Then she steps out and closes the door without looking back.

Robbie drives away, not knowing where to go. Daisy will take about twenty minutes to walk to the warehouse and scope it out before approaching Eli, and she'll need a few minutes after that to get him sufficiently distracted. Robbie doesn't have to get into position for about thirty minutes.

The streets are dark and eery without the street lamps or his headlights. Every once in awhile he thinks he sees people darting behind buildings or in alleys, but either he's imagining them or they are too scared to approach him.

He wonders how much damage Segundo Cielo has already inflicted. How many innocent people are running around with poison in their veins? How many are being injured in the process?

He wants to help them. He wants to help everybody. He knows that this plan is the best one anyone has, but he doesn't like all of this downtime. Robbie wants to be in the middle of the action, not driving around aimlessly for a half hour.

The devil inside of him is stirring anxiously, too. Since Robbie took it back, it hasn't tried to overpower him. Maybe the thing realizes it made a huge mistake by breaking its oath and entering Daisy's body. It knows all of Robbie's thoughts, so it must know how angry he is about that.

He also knows that, no matter how complacent it is right now, the moment Eli comes into sight, he'll lose all control. And though he didn't say anything to anyone, a part of him is worried the devil will do anything to stop Eli - even if it means Robbie will die in the process.

Robbie doesn't want to go back to that dark place. It's his biggest fear. But he knows that as long as Eli stays alive, Gabe is in danger and Robbie will always put Gabe before himself. Always. He wouldn't even hesitate.

And now that Daisy is here, he knows that if he does die, Gabe will be taken care of. It gives him more courage to continue on with this mission.

A particularly loud shriek sounds from nearby. Robbie slams on the brake and listens hard. He has plenty of time left to kill; he can surely help whoever is here quickly and then get back to his mission.

The scream sounds again. He thinks it's coming from the alley to his right, so he parks his car and jumps out, his chain wrapped around on hand. He walks silently through the shadowy path, the hair on his arms standing up underneath his black leather jacket.

At the back of the alley is a makeshift barricade of chairs, tables, and even a couch. Whoever is hiding behind it is smart, except that two gang members are standing on the fire escape of the building to the left, taking pot shots down at them from below and laughing.

The sight sickens Robbie. The gang members could just hit them with the darts full of the superdrug, but instead they're playing with the people's lives and taking enjoyment out of it.

Robbie lights his chain on fire and sprints forward, using his running start to jump on the armrest of the couch and springboard off of it onto the fire escape stairs. The thugs a floor above him hear the noise and try to spot him.

He runs up the stairs two at a time. The thugs start firing at him but they don't have a good sight. And when he gets level with them, it's a simple matter of wrapping his fiery chain around the chest of one of them and kicking the other one over the railing. He screams as he falls, the sound choking off with a sickening snap.

The one wrapped in hsi chain screams as he burns, and Robbie pulls his chain back, the man spinning like a top before dropping to the floor. His head hits the iron bottom and he stops moving.

Robbie looks down at the people behind the barricade. He's surprised to see a small family. A pang goes through his chest as he likens it to his own family years ago before his parents were murdered. The two younger kids, a boy and a girl, hold onto each other as they shake in fear. The parents look up at him with wide eyes.

He's relieved to see that none of them appear injured. "Are you okay?" he calls down.

The father hesitantly nods, and Robbie kicks open the door to the building on the fire escape. Inside is a small apartment that's currently empty. He pulls out a mattress and tugs it back through the door.

"Watch out," he calls, waiting for them to move out of the way before he pushes it over the railing. It lands inside the barricade and he takes the stairs down the fire escape after it.

He jumps on it and lands not far from the family. The kids duck their heads and the mother wraps them closer to her.

"I'm here to help you," he says gently. Then he lifts the mattress and balances it between the top of the sofa on one side of the barricade and the top of a dresser on the other side, creating a sheltered crawl space. "If anyone tries to shoot at you from above again, hide under this."

The father nods again. "Thank you," he says quietly. Robbie turns to go before stopping for a moment. He reaches into his waistband and pulls out a pistol.

"I really hope you don't need this, but just in case." He drops it on the ground and vaults back on the fire escape. He doesn't stay long enough to see if the man takes the weapon.

He returns to his car. He still has about ten minutes to go before he's supposed to get Eli. He really hopes Daisy is alright. What if he's too late?

No, he tells himself. Daisy is strong, and she has her SHIELD friends to help her. It will all be okay.

He just has to believe it himself.


	49. Darts and Death

Disclaimer: All rights belong to Disney, Marvel, and all the men and women that created the Agents of SHIELD TV shows, and comics. I take no credit, and I do not mean to break any copyright rules. This is simply a work of fiction made for enjoyment. No money is being made.

Rating: T for dark themes, graphic violence, mentions of torture, drug abuse, supernatural violence, major character death, and minor language

 

Chapter 49: Darts and Death

Daisy, Mack, and Yo-Yo creep through the streets on high alert. They hear screaming on and off along with the occasional gun shot. Daisy hopes they make it to Eli in time to keep the city from completely ripping itself apart.

Another scream sounds, this one closer. Daisy whips around as a man flies out of nowhere and launches himself at her. Yo-Yo fires at him and he drops at Daisy's feet. She sends a grateful look towards the agent before looking back down at the man. He's wearing a business suit and tie. This is just an innocent civilian who was hit by the superdrug. Who knows what he was seeing when he saw them?

They continue on, keeping close watch. No one else attacks them, which helps to soothe her nerves.

"This is it," Mack says quietly as they approach a building. "Eli should be inside."

"I'm going in front," Daisy says. "Flank me. Keep the guards down."

The two agents nod.

"As we get closer to Eli, try to stay out of sight. He'll feel less threatened if he only sees me, and I think I can distract him long enough for Robbie to come in behind. If he sees you guys he might try to attack me."

They nod again and Daisy slowly pushes the door open.

A hail of darts comes her way but she quickly pulls ups her arms and aims at them. The armbands send a quake through the air that knocks them backwards until they lose propulsion and drop to the floor harmlessly.

"What the -" she hears a thug say before Mack and Yo-Yo shoot them with ICERS.

"Room cleared," Mack says, and they advance.

"I think Eli's on the other side of the building. There's a large office there, and I bet he's turned that into his headquarters."

"There will only be more guards as we approach," Yo-Yo says. "We need to-"

The door to the next room bursts open and bullets come flying towards them. The three of them hit the ground and roll out of the way.

"We'll cover you out here," Mack says. "You go distract Eli so Robbie can get his job done."

"And remember," Yo-Yo adds, "Eli doesn't know that Robbie took back the Ghost Rider or that he's even still alive"

Daisy nods. "Thanks, guys. Good luck."

"You're the one who's going to need it," Mack replies before stepping out and laying down covering fire. "Now go!"

Daisy sprints across the room, keeping her torso as low as possible. Any gunners that show their faces are hit by Mack and Yo-Yo's ICERS. Any bullets coming right towards her are shot back by pulses from her Quake armbands.

Mentally she thanks Fitz. Without these things she would be dead already.

She makes her way through the building, quickly taking out any thugs in her way. She sees the huge glass doors of the office up ahead. Through them, she seems Eli sitting on a cushioned chair with wheels, a bluetooth earpiece curled around his ear as he manages his take over of the city. Two heavily armed guards stand in front of the door.

Daisy strides out confidently. "Hey, boys," she calls out.

They charge her, a wall of rippling muscles and brute strength. But Daisy had been taught to fight by Melinda freakin' May and these men are nothing. She uses the momentum of their run to flip them over onto the floor. To their credit, they wordlessly get back up and start throwing punches. Daisy ducks and weaves under their fists and lands her own hits. Gut, face, throat.

Her attack leaves them gasping for breath and doubled over. They recover quickly and try a different strategy, circling her like piranhas. The one in front of her occupies her attention while the one behind her suddenly grabs her hair, yanking her head down.

"Not cool," she mumbles, trying to keep from crying out in pain and surprise. Since they don't want a fair fight, she's not going to give them one. She aims her hands at the man in front of her and fires a strong pulse, sending him crashing through the glass doors of the office. Then she twists her body and kicks the man holding her hair between his legs. He legs go immediately and she smashes her foot into his face.

By the time she turns and continues walking towards the office, Eli is standing in front of his chair, watching her warily. For effect, she steps over the jagged edge of the door.

"Do you still think you can stop me?" Eli asks, looking confused. "Because it's too late. Over eighty percent of the city has been injected with my drug and the last twenty percent are being attended to."

She stares at him silently for a long time. "What are you doing, Eli?" she finally asks, motioning around. "What's even the point of all of this?"

"I'm fixing a corrupt system," he explains. "I'm doing this to help people, you know."

"How is all this chaos helping anyone besides yourself? They're going to get addicted to the drug and they're going to come crawling to you for more of it. They'll sell their souls to you for a quick fix. How is that fixing a corrupt system? It sounds like it's creating one, to me."

"Security does not come free." Eli paces behind the large desk. "The money I make from the drugs will pay for better law enforcement and better healthcare for the poor. Eventually I'll start diluting the drugs I give out until the people are no longer addicted the potent one. When I'm in control, no child will starve. We'll stop polluting the air with toxic chemicals. People of color will no longer have to fear cops. This city will be the standard for which the world strives to be."

Daisy is not sure what's worse - the fact that Eli thinks he's helping people by getting them all addicted to a superdrug or that he actually believes he's going to succeed.

"So you'll be a kind dictator?" she asks. "A generous and wise leader?"

"Sometimes things need to be dismantled before they can be put back together better." Eli lays his hands on the desk. "That is what I'm doing."

"You're willing to risk a whole 'lotta lives for that," Daisy replies.

"And what you're doing is better?" Eli shakes his head. "You go around and kill whoever you think deserves to be killed."

"You're right." Daisy smiles at him. "And now I've come for you."

Eli pulls out a gun and places it on the desk. "You recognize this, I'm sure. It's my own dart gun. I've hit you with it before. Even the devil isn't impervious to my superdrug. Try anything and I'll shoot you full of it like last time."

Daisy's heartbeat picks up at the thought of the drug. Then she feels sick. She's tired of being injected against her own will. She's sick of seeing hallucinations and then fighting withdrawal.

There's a clock on the wall behind Eli's shoulder. Robbie won't be here for a few more minutes. She still needs to stall.

"How could you do it?" she demands suddenly. "How could you kill your own nephew?"

"There is no victory without sacrifice," Eli quotes.

"But is the victory worth the sacrifice? The man you killed was like your son. And how do you think Gabe feels? He's all alone now. Because you killed his brother."

"Gabe is smart and strong. He'll recover."

"Gabe hates you." Daisy takes a steps closer and lowers her voice. "He hates you for what you've done to your family. He blames you for his legs. He blames you for Robbie. He blames you for everything."

Eli swallows. "I wish things hadn't turned out the way they did, but I had no choice. Robbie was going to kill me."

"So you killed him instead?"

"What I killed was not my nephew!" Eli shouts, finally losing his temper. "He stopped being my nephew the moment the devil entered. It might have been his body and his mind but it had no soul. And now you, too, are just a hollowed out corpse."

"He still had a soul," Daisy says quietly. She looks out the windows behind Eli's shoulder and sees familiar headlights driving towards the office. "In fact, he still has a soul. The devil's just a temporary unwanted guest."

Eli glances behind him, trying to follow her gaze. Daisy leaps forward but Eli is still quicker. He snatches the gun up from the table and fires a few quick shots. She doesn't get her hands up in time to avoid getting hit by a dart.

It only takes a minute for the effects to begin. She stumbles back, landing on her backside, and watches as the hallucination alters reality. The wall with the windows explodes and a fiery car bursts through the opening. It doesn't stop as it barrels straight into Eli Morrow and continues driving, missing Daisy by only a few feet. She feels the heat from the fire singe her skin as the car passes. She turns slowly and watches as it crashes into a brick wall, the hood completely crumpled up. No survivors.

She can't believe how realistic the hallucination is. She's just waiting for reality Eli to finish her off.

Daisy just hopes she gave Robbie enough time.

-

Robbie sees the lights in the office building. Through the giant glass windows he sees Daisy standing in front of Eli. She looks beautiful in her black uniform, her hands crossed over her chest as she says something to him. Her one eyebrow is cocked as she looks over Eli's shoulder, almost right at him. Robbie knows that look. He loves that look. She's saying something snarky. She must know he's right here.

Robbie sees Eli turn and Daisy jump toward. He takes this as his cue and hits the accelerator, driving straight through the wall of the building. By the time he gets through, Daisy is sitting on the floor, stunned. Eli is staring straight into his headlights. Robbie doesn't hesitate as he floors the accelerator even more.

He hears the thud as Eli's body hits the car. Robbie keeps driving. The devil's not going to risk anything, and it's in full control. He keeps driving until the Dodge hits something it can't drive through. There's a loud noise. Heat. Then intense cold as the devil takes flight from Robbie's body.

I've fulfilled my oath, it says to Robbie. I owe you nothing now.

Silence. Robbie's mind hasn't been this quiet in forever. It also hasn't been this dark and painless since the first time he met the devil.

Robbie remembers dying the first time. He would have done anything for a second chance to get revenge. Now, in the second time that he dies, he would do anything for a second chance to love.


	50. Flower and Flames Forever

Disclaimer: All rights belong to Disney, Marvel, and all the men and women that created the Agents of SHIELD TV shows, and comics. I take no credit, and I do not mean to break any copyright rules. This is simply a work of fiction made for enjoyment. No money is being made.

Rating: T for dark themes, graphic violence, mentions of torture, drug abuse, supernatural violence, major character death, and minor language

Author's Note: Last chapter! Thank you so much for sticking with me through this! I've never written an AU that intertwined so closely with the canon before, and the positive response to this has completely blown me away. This was so much fun to write, and I would like to thank you readers for being such an amazing audience. QuakeRider forever!

 

Chapter 50: Flowers and Flame Forever

One Month Later

Daisy parks the Impala and grabs Gabe's wheelchair from the trunk before lifting the boy out of the backseat and into the chair. Then she reaches into the backseat and pulls out Robbie's crunches, handing them to him. He stands carefully, fitting the padded top under his armpits.

She wheels Gabe's chair up the ramp to the apartment over the autoshop, Robbie following behind with the dull thud of his crutches against the wood.

"You're smiling a lot today," he observes. "You haven't smiled this much in the past month."

"Things have been pretty tense at work," she reminds him, reaching past Gabe's shoulder to open the door. "Between cleaning up the last remaining vials of the superdrug and rounding up the members of Segundo Cielo and dealing with a dozen lawsuits."

"And worrying about Robbie," Gabe pipes in. Daisy closes the door behind Robbie and takes a seat on a kitchen chair.

"That's why I'm smiling," she says. "There's a reason SHIELD kept you at the medical center for so long, and it's not just because of your extensive injuries."

"I was wondering about that," Gabe says. "How did Robbie get out of his murder charges?"

Robbie shoots a glare at Gabe, but the younger boy ignores him.

"It was tricky business," Daisy admits. "Lucky for you, my team actually kinda liked you. They spent all their free time coming up with something to get you out of that fix."

"What did they come up with?"

"Remember how you took that brain scan the first time you were at SHIELD? Jemma found a strange shadow over your motor cortex. Well, while you were unconscious and recovering from the car accident, she took another scan. In this one the shadow is gone. We believe - and she used a bunch of science-y terms to write the report - that the shadow was the 'devil' in you and that it was forcing you to become the Ghost Rider by manipulating your brain."

"So she attributed Robbie's actions to a disease, or a mental illness of some sort?" Gabe asks. "And that disease or whatever presented itself as the shadow in his brain. Now that it's gone, he's no longer under the influence and therefore won't harm people anymore."

"Something like that," Daisy agrees. "And since it was a disease, he isn't responsible for his actions."

"But surely the public won't buy into that explanation," Robbie says, worry etched on his face. Daisy wants to go over and hug him but she knows his ribs are still bruised pretty badly.

"The public won't be told that. The government wants to cover up as much as they want. As far as the media is aware, Eli was the Ghost Rider. Any discrepancies are being covered up as hallucinations by the superdrug."

"But if Eli was the Ghost Rider why would he kill members of the gangs that worked for him?"

"He created the Ghost Rider as a way to keep his people in check. The gang members he killed were going against his orders." Daisy shrugs. "The people buy it. You can watch the full story on TV."

"So that's it? I'm free to go back to living my life as if nothing happened?"

This time Daisy is the one who grimaces. "Not quite. The government wants to make sure you don't become the Ghost Rider again. As a result, they're going to keep their eyes on you for a couple years." Then she smiles. "But a SHIELD agent is supposed to keep daily tabs on you."

Robbie catches her drift and smiles. Daisy loves the way the skin at the corner of his eyes crinkle and small dimples appear on his cheeks. "And you're that agent?"

"You bet. You're not getting rid of me so soon."

Gabe mutters a snarky comment under his breath. Daisy reaches over and ruffles his hair, which earns her a cold glare.

"I have good news for you, too," she says.

"What?"

"You quite impressed a certain pair of scientists at SHIELD. FitzSimmons asked me to offer you an internship at their lab."

Gabe's eyes widen. "Really? When?"

"After school or during the summer, whenever you're available. And, Gabe," Daisy adds, growing serious, "You must know that this is special. I've never heard of them offering anyone an internship before. Ever."

Gabe's face brightens and he starts wheeling to his room, mumbling about the projects he wants to test out with the scientists. Daisy and Robbie watch him go affectionately.

The silence grows. The two of them haven't been alone since before Eli's attack on the city. In fact, they hadn't really seen much of each other. Daisy has been swamped at work and Robbie has been in a SHIELD medical center, recovering from his near-death car accident. Even now he has a giant cast on his left leg, smaller casts on both arms and a brace on his knee. The bruises on his face have finally faded away, but some smaller cuts are still healing.

"I'm really glad you're okay," Daisy says, the simple words saying a lot more than she can express. She's glad he's alive, first and foremost. She's also happy that the charges against him are being worked out. She's ecstatic that the devil is gone.

Robbie reads between the lines. He motions her forward and when she stands by him, he takes one of her hands in his. "Me, too."

Daisy hadn't allowed herself to think much of the whole situation while Robbie had been healing, but now it all just hits her. She feels her eyes sting. "I really thought I was going to lose you. You need to stop almost dying, okay?"

He smiles faintly. "You have at least a few weeks until I've fully recovered from this latest disaster."

If he hadn't been covered in casts she would have punched his arm. Instead she smiles at him. "It's going to be weird not seeing you at work."

"I'm sure we can find other ways to spend our time together," he says, a hint of a smirk on his face. She rolls her eyes.

"Maybe now you can actually work at your own business," she suggests.

"It doesn't pay that well."

"It pays better than your old night job."

There's a comfortable silence that stretches out between them for a long minute.

"Robbie," she suddenly says. "I was happy with you before. I really was. But there was always a barrier between us, keeping us from really being happy, you know?"

He nods. "The Ghost Rider."

"Exactly. Although, ironically, if it weren't for the Ghost Rider, we probably wouldn't be together right now. But it was his constant presence that also kept us from being truly happy." She locks eyes with him. "Robbie, I'm truly happy right now."

He opens his mouth but she holds up a hand. "Let me finish. When Lincoln died, I didn't think I'd ever be happy again. I just wanted closure - which I thought I could find in revenge. Instead I found you. And I know it hasn't been easy. We've fought a lot, I got hooked on a superdrug, you were possessed by the devil, we almost died multiple times - but it was all worth it. I'd go through it all again if it meant being with you. I love you, Robbie Reyes."

He stares at her for a long time. Her heart is practically beating out of her chest. Just say something, she silently begs. She wonders if it was too soon to say all that. After all, they've only known each other for a few months. It hasn't even been six months since Lincoln died.

"I'm happy, too, Daisy," he says. "Since my parents died and Eli went to prison, it's just been me and Gabe. I was content that way. But with you in my life and the devil gone, I'm actually happy."

She notices he doesn't say "I love you" back, but she's not worried. Robbie isn't one to confess his feelings easily. And there are other ways to say "I love you" without saying those exact words - Robbie admitting that he's finally happy is one of those ways. They're just words, anyway. Actions speak louder than words, and his actions have shown time and time again how much he loves her.

And for now, she's just happy to be with him.

-

I love you, Robbie Reyes.

Daisy's words echo in his mind over and over again. He fights the urge to smile and looks down at her, snuggled into his side. They decided to have a quiet movie night that night. Gabe had picked "Empire Strikes Back" and is intently watching the battle on Hoth play out from the other side of the room.

"This movie never gets old," Daisy remarks quietly.

"Yeah," Robbie agrees, although his mind really isn't on the movie. He's still sorting through a lot of things, Daisy's earlier words only one of them.

"What are you thinking about?" she asks.

He shrugs, but only because he's not sure how to voice his concerns. He's truly happy right now, but it feels like something is missing. He knows he misses the devil's presence in his mind. It sounds awful, but he had grown used to sharing his mind. Now it seems empty with only his thoughts.

Another thing that bothers him is his car. Earlier today he gone out to the garage to look at it, to start fixing it back up. But as he'd gotten close, something odd had happened: he thought he heard a voice.

Crazy, right? He was just hearing things. But oddly enough, the voice kind of sounded like Eli. It had scared Robbie enough that he decided to put the Dodge away for good. Eli had been vaporized in the fire coming out of the Dodge - a trick of the devil that Robbie thought a bit theatrical - so why would Robbie be hearing his voice? Was Eli somehow haunting the car?

Robbie doesn't want to take a chance with it. He's heard of crazy things and experienced for himself even crazier ones.

And then there's the lingering energy in him. After following the devil for so long, Robbie can't seem to shake the habit that he needs to go out and finish hunting down Segundo Cielo and Fifth Street. He doesn't want to do it, but he feels like he needs to do it. It's confusing and frustrating.

"Not everything I did as the Ghost Rider was bad," he says quietly. "I helped people. I prevented women from being raped. I helped police during a shoot-out. I kept citizens from being mugged."

She looks up at him with big eyes full of understanding. "Yes, you did many good things. But you did them the wrong way."

Robbie sighs and pulls her closer. She smiles up at him.

"You're a good person, Robbie. You don't need to be the Ghost Rider to help people."

Across the room, Gabe shushes them. Robbie can feel Daisy shake with silent laughter.

They turn their attention back to the movie. Robbie can't help but feel how lucky he is to have Daisy and Gabe in his life. There were so many close calls during the battle against Eli. At any point Robbie could have lost his brother or girlfriend. But for some reason all three of them survived.

Robbie himself should have died multiple times. He thought he was going to die. He doesn't know why he got a second, third, even fourth chance to live, but he's not going to throw it away. He's going to make the most of his life form here one.

He can resist the urge to go and be do vigilante work. Daisy made it through a horrible drug addiction; his problem isn't even close to as bad. He can finish healing from the accident and then get back to his work. He can start over and do things right this time.

He knows Gabe still hasn't completely forgiven him for the whole Ghost Rider deal, but, as Jemma had assured him, time is his ally. Things have been improving between them. Robbie hopes that soon this will all just be a past nightmare and him and Gabe can be as close as they used to be.

This movie night is the start of a new life for all of them. Robbie is free from the Ghost Rider, Daisy is free from her grief and desire for revenge, and Gabe is free from secrets. The future is bright. And they're all together.

On the small TV, Princess Leia lunges towards Han Solo. "I love you!" she calls.

"I know," he replies, standing above the carbonite freezing chamber. The test commences and Han sinks into the chamber out of sight while Leia watches, stricken but determinedly strong.

"This scene kinda reminds me of us," Robbie tells Daisy. She looks up at him.

"Yeah?"

"You volunteered to go and distract Eli so I could take him out. That's like Han. He sacrificed himself with the faith that Leia would come and save him."

Daisy smiles. "I see it the opposite way. When you crashed the Dodge you were risking your life. Like Leia, I stood by and had faith that you would survive whatever happened. You survived for me."

"So if you guys are Han and Leia, what does that make me?" Gabe asks, jumping in the conversation.

"Chewbacca," Robbie says at the same time Daisy says, "See-Threepio." Then they look at each other and laugh.

"She's right," Robbie admits. "You'd be the smart-aleck."

Gabe isn't as amused. "Is it because he doesn't have working legs in this scene?" he asks dryly.

"It's because he's smart and sarcastic," Daisy says. "Just like you."

"And he hates being left behind or left out," Robbie agrees.

Gabe rolls his eyes but he's not upset anymore. "So does this mean you two are going to get married and then have a bratty son who shops exclusively at Hot Topic and has a weird obsession with being a villain that would make Uncle Eli proud?"

At the word "marry" Robbie and Daisy exchange startled glances. Then they realize Gabe is joking and the brief moment of tension disappears.

"Han and Leia got shafted in the sequel trilogy," Daisy complains. "As a kid, I imagined they grew old together in the new Republic that formed after the Galactic Empire fell."

"Let's stick with that," Robbie says. "Let's start with growing old together."

Daisy smiles. "I like that idea." She leans forward and kisses him slowly.

A few feet away, Gabe pretends to gag. Robbie smiles.

Robbie lived with Hell inside of him for years. Now he gets to live with Heaven around him forever.

The End


End file.
